Juventus Utena: thank you and best of luck!
- marisnoviks
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
The 2026 Lithuanian Basketball league finalists Juventus Utena have used the opt-out option to compete in the Basketball Champions league.
On August 16, 2023, then Uniclub Casino-Juventus Utena officially joined the European North Basketball league for the first time.
On October 4, 2023, Juventus Utena debuted in the ENBL with a 103-73 road win against the 2023 bronze medalist Polski Cukier Start Lublin.
The Lithuanians, coached by Oliver Kostič, posted a 6-1 record to win Group A and advance to the 2024 playoffs along with Bakken Bears Aarhus, Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits and Bristol Flyers.
They lost the quarterfinal series against Royal Liège Basket, 180-182, despite a 96-87 home win.
Juventus Utena signed out with a 7-2 record and the fifth place in the standings behind the Bakken Bears, CSO Voluntari, Royal Liège Basket and Šiauliai.
On May 5, 2026, the European North Basketball league announced return of Juventus Utena.
Fourteen days earlier, Laimonas Eglinskas, a 37 years old coach from Šilute, took the coaching reins, replacing the 2023 ENBL finalist Kęstutis Kemzūra.
May 2026 gifted Juventus fans with a most amazing playoff run in Betsson LKL history.
Eglinskas was assistant of Nenad Čanak at Lietkabelis Panevezius (2019-2023), coached at Gargždai (2023-2024), worked as assistant coach at Jonava and at the New Zealand Breakers (in Australian league), before taking over Kedainiai at the start of 2025-2026 season.
Young coach posted his first win on May 2, as Juventus defeated third seeded Neptūnas Klaipeda, 102-91.
Lukas Uleckas posted a triple-double with 11 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
A few days earlier Juventus Utena secured LKL licence for the 2026-2027 season.
Juventus Utena finished the regular season with four wins in five games to post a 12-20 record and advance to the 2026 playoffs.
The seventh seed met the second seeded Rytas Vilnius in the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
On May 21, Juventus Utena defeated Rytas Vilnius, 92-84, at the Utena arena.
Two days later Juventus Utena won at the Active Vilnius arena, 101-95, eliminating the 2026 Basketball Champions league winners.
Juventus Utena advanced to the LKL semifinals to win the best-of-five series against the third seeded Neptūnas Klaipeda, 3-1.
Utena won at Klaipeda, 96-83, on May 27, to secure a home court advantage.
Two wins on the home floor were enough to win the series, 86-80 and 90-103.
On June 3, 2026, Juventus Utena advanced to the LKL finals for the first time in history.
Utena club lost the best-of-five series against 26 times Lithuanian champions Žalgiris Kaunas, 0-3, to earn a silver medal.
Juventus Utena was founded in 1999.
The club played in third Lithuanian division until 2007, when it entered the NKL.
Juventus won back-to-back NKL regular season titles and on June 15, 2009 was allowed to join the LKL.
Utena club registered its previous most successful season in 2015.
Juventus defeated then Euroleague team Neptūnas Klaipeda to clinch a bronze medal.
Team entered the FIBA Europe Cup in the autumn of 2015 and Basketball Champions league a year later.
Utena is known as a native town of Jonas Valančiūnas.
Jonas is the most famous member of the Golden Boys – a generation of players born in 1992.
The young Lithuanians won the 2008 European U16 championship, the 2010 European U18 championship and the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship.
Juventus Utena play at the Utena Arena. Capacity 2000.
Utena is located 100 kilometers north of Vilnius Airport.
You can visit club`s website at utenosjuventus.lt .
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