tournaments, beating Atletas Kaunas 3–0 in 1995 and 3–2 (after being down 0–2 in the series) in 1996, and had success participating in the 1995–96 FIBA European Cup when Rimas Kurtinaitis returned to play for his home team. After finishing with a 9–3 record in the regular season, Žalgiris advanced to the semi-finals, but fell to PAOK in the two-game series. In 1997, Žalgiris again won the LKL championship, beating Olimpas Žemaitija Plungė 3–0 in the finals, and reached round 16 in the Saporta Cup, losing to Paris Basket Racing. Players including Darius Lukminas, Gintaras Einikis, Kęstutis Šeštokas, Dainius Adomaitis, and Darius Maskoliūnas played for the club during this period, coached by Jonas Kazlauskas. 1998–1999: The biggest success Žalgiris enjoyed its greatest success as a club during the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons. They were coached by Jonas Kazlauskas with a new generation of Lithuanian talent including Saulius Štombergas, Dainius Adomaitis, Eurelijus Žukauskas, Tomas Masiulis, and Mindaugas Žukauskas, and experienced foreign players Franjo Arapović and Ennis Whatley. The team defeated Stefanel Milano 82–67 in the 1998 FIBA Saporta Cup final in Belgrade. Saulius Štombergas scored 35 points in the final. Žalgiris also won a fifth-consecutive LKL title, this time against Atletas Kaunas. In the 1998–99 season Žalgiris made it to the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time in the club's history, and were crowned European champions after defeating Olympiacos and Kinder Bologna in the semi-final and the final, respectively. Tyus Edney was named EuroLeague Final Four MVP. Žalgiris also won LKL and North European Basketball League (NEBL) titles that season. They won bronze in the 1999 McDonald's Championship. The rivalry against Lietuvos rytas also began. 2000–2004: Struggles and Sabonis comeback The year after winning the EuroLeague, in 2000, Žalgiris suffered one of its worse seasons. The club was eliminated after the group stage in the EuroLeague, finishing third in the NEBL and losing the LKL finals to Lietuvos Rytas for the first time. In the 2001 season, the team reached the new EuroLeague playoffs, but lost to AEK. Žalgiris regained the LKL championship, beating Lietuvos Rytas 3–2. The 2002 season was again disappointing, as the team was eliminated in the EuroLeague after the group stage and lost the LKL championship. In the 2003 season, they were again eliminated in the EuroLeague playoffs, but achieved the LKL championship, beating Lietuvos Rytas 4–2. Sabonis became the principal owner of the club in