The big man netted 26 points in an 87-89 win against his former team
Zach LeDay showed 'eye-of-the-tiger' mentality against his beloved Zalgiris
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Regular Season
Round 26 of 34
Group Regular Season
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The next-man-up mentality can take a team all the way to success and this is precisely what EA7 Emporio Armani Milan demonstrated against Zalgiris Kaunas through an extraordinary Zach LeDay. The Milan forward felt like home at Zalgirio Arena on Thursday evening, when he pulled off a brilliant display for yet another game to lead Milan to an 87-89 triumph.
Injuries kept Nikola Mirotic, Fabien Causeur and Josh Nebo out of contention again, but LeDay stepped up big time with 26 points against a team that he holds dearly to his heart after his spell at Zalgiris back in the 2019-20 season.
“[Zalgiris] is one of my homes in Europe,” LeDay told EuroLeague TV after the game. “I’m blessed to have played here. I still bleed green and white. But in the end, like I said before the game, the heart of a lion to make those free throws, big plays at the end. Eye of the tiger.”
Heading into the game, LeDay was averaging 13.3 points against his former team. He had also scored at least 10 points in seven straight games and recorded PIRs of double figures in six of his last seven outings.
His 33 points led Milan to an 85-75 victory over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Round 24, with LeDay averaging 17.4 points over his last seven games. The Milan forward was unable to inspire his team to a victory at FC Bayern Munich a couple of days ago, but he would have none of it on Thursday.
Milan led for the majority of the game, but when Zalgiris took a 73-71 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the previous game between the two teams came back to haunt the visitors. The Lithuanian side fought back from a 27-point deficit in the third quarter to grab an 82-85 victory in Italy back in October.
“I think we almost led the whole game,” Messina said in the press conference after the game in Lithuania. “But this also happened in the first game, so I was a bit scared to tell you the truth.”
Game Videos
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Zach LeDay: 'I still bleed green and white'
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How on earth, Bolmaro?! Motorola Magic Moment
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Smailagic takes off! Motorola Magic Moment
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Zalgiris Kaunas-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Smailagic with a big two-handed slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Dunston's big swat! Motorola Magic Moment
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Lonnie Walker: 'When we're locked in on defense, I don't think there's anyone who can beat us'
Enter LeDay, who scored 8 of his team’s last 10 points in crunch time to seal the outcome. Despite the decibels skyrocketing in the closing stages, LeDay remained calm from the charity stripe, making 2 of 2 for a 77-83 lead with 1:53 remaining and then another couple of free throws to make it 84-88 with 21 seconds left on the clock. In fact, he converted all his 13 attempts from the line, extending his streak to 39 consecutive free throws made.
“I’m just trying to be the best leader,” LeDay added. “Like I said, just the eye of the tiger. It’s a blessing to be able to step out on the floor and to prove that I'm the best in Europe. So, I just try to go out there and give my team my all and be a warrior.”
Niccolo Mannion also deserves a special mention after recording career highs in points (21), PIR (27), rebounds (7) and 2-pointers made (6). He also dished 6 assists and recorded a block in what was a sublime display in Kaunas.
“I want to give a big shoutout to Niccolo Mannion,” LeDay noted. “He’s a young point guard, learning in every game in the EuroLeague. He stepped up big tonight. He led us till the end. Just a big shoutout to him and his growth on this trip.”
What follows is a tough clash against AS Monaco after the break. For the time being, it remains uncertain whether the aforementioned players will be back from injuries. But in LeDay, the Italian side has a leader to step up when needed – a warrior with an eye-of-the-tiger mentality.