were achieved against future EuroLeague finalists of that season, Maccabi Tel Aviv. On 1 November, Lietuvos rytas defeated Maccabi by 18 points at home for a third time in a row as Artūras Jomantas led the team with 19 points and became the week's co-MVP with Erazem Lorbek, both having performance index ratings of 29. The fourth victory in a row over Maccabi (away, by 5 points) was due to a spectacular performance by Hollis Price (19 points) and Chuck Eidson (28 points). A road victory against Cibona Zagreb on 31 January 2008 completed the Euroleague regular season for Lietuvos rytas and allowed them to remain in the first spot in Group B securing a favorable position in the first pool before the Top 16 draw together with CSKA Moscow, Real Madrid and Panathinaikos Athens. Their 11–3 record was the team's best regular season performance ever, and the best by a Lithuanian team in Euroleague at the time. However, the team was not as successful in the Top 16 and with record of 2–4 did not advance to the playoffs. Lietuvos rytas were the runner-up in the Lithuanian Basketball League, the Baltic Basketball League and the Lithuanian Cup, losing each time to Žalgiris Kaunas. Rimas Kurtinaitis era (2008–2010) The 2008–09 season saw the team with a significantly reduced budget andputting a greater emphasis on less expensive young and perspective local players. Nevertheless, Lietuvos rytas managed to win the first Baltic Basketball Presidents Cup. On 21 October 2008, Lietuvos rytas had its first chance ever to play against an NBA basketball club the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Lietuvos rytas lost the game 126–106. However, like many other Baltic professional sports clubs, Lietuvos rytas had to face the effects of the financial crisis in late 2008 and early 2009. Having lost two of its leading foreign players Lietuvos rytas still managed to reach the second phase of EuroCup finishing second in their group with three home wins and three away losses. Head coach Antanas Sireika resigned and was replaced by a former Lietuvos rytas' player Rimas Kurtinaitis for the second half of the season. The team started the second phase of the EuroCup with only two foreign players, Chuck Eidson (a teammate of Petravičius at South Carolina) and Milko Bjelica. The team's roster had been refreshed with promising Lithuanians and Rytas successfully advanced to the Final 8. Chuck Eidson was