deal with Rytas. On 5 January 2015, another Lithuanian national team member Simas Jasaitis also signed with Rytas for the third time in his career. Lietuvos rytas started the last 32-game stage in the EuroCup by winning against the best team in Poland, Turów Zgorzelec which was relegated to EuroCup after winning only one game in the EuroLeague's regular season. Despite a successful start, Rytas lost three games of six in the second stage and qualified into the next round by taking second place in the group only after the crucial defeat of Telenet Oostende 111–83 at the last game in Vilnius. Due to the questionable shape of the team, Virginijus Šeškus was fired as head coach. Despite this he remained with Rytas as an assistant to the new head coach Marcelo Nicola. Between 20 and 22 February, Rytas participated in the 2015 LKF Cup. They defeated Dzūkija Alytus 78–63 in the quarterfinals, and Šiauliai 71–61 in the semifinals, however at the finals Rytas lost the season's first trophy to principal rival Žalgiris Kaunas 82–76 and extended their trophy drought. On 4 March, Lietuvos rytas played the first game of the EuroCup playoffs against Pınar Karşıyaka. Despite having a double-digit lead multiple times, Rytas failed to secure the game until the final seconds. The match finished with an 81–81 tie; the series winner was to be decided in Turkey. On 11 March, Rytas players failed to show any promise of winning the game. The deficit after the first two quarters was 34–53. The result was 97–81, ending the two-time EuroCup champion Rytas' to the international competitions early that year. In LKL, Rytas started ambiguously. On 19 October 2014, they suffered their first defeat against Žalgiris Kaunas 84–82 in Vilnius, although, they defeated the EuroLeague participant Neptūnas Klaipėda 73–65 a week later. On 15 November, they lost to Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys 87–85. On 28 December, Rytas also lost to Neptūnas 94–90 in their home arena. On 1 January 2015 Rytas failed to win the second game against Žalgiris in Kaunas, losing 91–77. On 8 March 2015 Rytas had shown positive signs under their new head coach Nicola. They defeated Žalgiris Kaunas in Vilnius 93–66; at times Rytas led by 35 points. Žalgiris Kaunas' assistant coach Šarūnas Jasikevičius described the game as a "shame". Following the fiasco in the EuroCup, on 15 March, Rytas defeated Neptūnas 87–86 for the second time in