won the newly established LKF Cup by beating Lietuvos Rytas. After also signing center Loren Woods, Žalgiris beat Lietuvos Rytas in the LKL finals. Before the 2008 season, Žalgiris signed longtime EuroLeague player Marcus Brown. Žalgiris also played against NBA teams for the first time. The team had a successful regular season in the EuroLeague, finishing with an 8–6 record, but suffered another disappointment in the Top16, finishing with a 1–5 record. Žalgiris also won the LKF Cup for the second year in a row, beating Lietuvos Rytas 83–72 in the finals, after a monster game by Collins. In the BBL finals, Žalgiris defeated Lietuvos Rytas 86–84 in the finals on a last-second shot by Collins. Žalgiris retained the LKL title, beating Lietuvos Rytas 4–1 in the LKL finals in which Brown was named MVP. The 2009 season started on a very high note, with the resignation of Jonas Mačiulis and Loren Woods, retaining leader Marcus Brown and signing of new point guard Willie Deane, who replaced the departed DeJuan Collins. However, financial difficulties lead to poor play from the team and the firing of coach Grigas, who was replaced by longtime player and assistant coach Gintaras Krapikas. Willie Deane was soon released, in large part due to his poor performance in the EuroLeague, which led to a seven-game losing streak. The team recovered under point guard Mantas Kalnietis, and finished the EuroLeague regular season with a 2–8 record, missing the Top 16. Despite growing financial difficulties, and the departure of Loren Woods, the team made the LKL and BBL finals, as well as the LKF Cup finals. Despite this, this was the most Žalgiris could accomplish, as they lost to Lietuvos Rytas. Jonas Mačiulis, who became the team leader during the season, left after the season ended. 2009–2013: Vladimir Romanov era During the 2009 season Žalgiris was facing significant financial difficulties and sought a new investor. In 2009, Sabonis sold most of his stake to the local Ūkio banko investment group (ŪBIG), headed by Vladimir Romanov, who then held a 75% stake in the club. Sabonis retained a 21.5% interest in the club; 3% was owned by a minority group, while the remaining 0.5% was owned by the Kaunas City municipality. In the 2010 season, Romanov soon became unpopular with Žalgiris fans. After the departures of Jonas Mačiulis and Paulius Jankūnas, the team extended the contract of Marcus Brown