A City United in Celebration
The final of the Basketball Champions League turned into a showcase of resilience when Rytas Vilnius erased a 20‑point hole to clinch the 2025‑26 title, a feat that will be remembered as one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent European basketball history.
Guided by head coach Giedrius Zibenas, the squad blended veteran poise with youthful energy, executing a second‑half surge that left fans on the edge of their seats and cemented the team’s place in Lithuanian sporting lore.
The triumph was immediately celebrated in the streets of Vilnius, where a massive parade wound through the historic centre and a giant flag was hoisted on the city’s iconic TV tower, turning the skyline into a sea of green and white.
Messages of congratulations poured in from across Europe, with clubs such as ALBA BERLIN, Unicaja, Pallacanestro Trieste and Boca Juniors joining in the praise, while former Rytas stars Justin Gorham, Javin DeLaurier and Steven Enoch took to social media to applaud the achievement.
Even players who have since moved on, including RJ Cole now with Venezia and Jordan McRae, wore Rytas colours in tribute, and Jordan Theodore, the 2016‑17 BCL MVP, highlighted the comeback as a benchmark for future teams.
The victory also marks the end of what has been dubbed Season X of the competition and sets the stage for Rytas to defend their crown with the full backing of a city that now lives and breathes basketball.