Impeka handed Project-44 their first loss on Thursday, defeating the Russian team 74-64 and securing the first place in the M40 category. The sides exchanged the lead a handful of times in the beginning of the game, but the Lithuanians won a 9-2 stretch at the end of the second quarter to finish the first half with a 39-27 lead.
The team from Mazeikiai maintained a small gap throughout the second half and, although Project-44 got within five points with a couple of minutes remaining, managed to hold on.
Giedrius Petrulevicius led the winners with 23 points and 11 rebounds, Edvardas Stanius collected 12 points and seven boards, while Erikas Uscinas and Arvydas Domkus collected 11 points apiece.
Sergey Ivanov had 21 points, while Gintars Einikis collected 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Despite the loss, Project-44 is still in the race for the top spot in the M45 category, alongside Patvanka, who they will face in the last day of the championship on Friday.
Meanwhile, Patvanka kept their record intact, improving to 4-0 with an 85-58 rout of Basketclub. Darius Lukminas finished the game with a game-high 26 points, Robertas Butkus collected 17 points, while Kestutis Amolevicius and Mindaugas Lukminas collected 10 points each.
Ilya Fichkin scored 15 points, Eduard Leshukov chipped in with 13 points, and Andrey Kodochnikov finished with 12.
Although Kraukli have no hopes to nip Impeka for the top spot in the M40 category, having lost the head-to-head match-up, but they seem to have guaranteed themselves silver medals with an 84-58 victory against group rivals Energetikas from Lithuania.
Lithuanians managed to put up a fight in the beginning of the game, taking a 25-23 lead after the first quarter. Kraukli jumped ahead in the second quarter, carrying a 43-39 advantage into the second half.
However, the real breaking point happened in the third quarter, which the Latvian hosts won 22-6 to decide the outcome of the game.
Mihail Zvezdov led the winners with 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, Janis Vilnitis chipped in with 14 points, while Modris Sveiduks added 11 points.
Arunas Knieta had 24 points and 13 boards for Energetikas, while Valdas Siksnius was the only other player in double figures with 10 points.
