Tornado KM II - "Meistro kodas" Enters the Season with a Clear Plan: Energy, Defense and a Deep Rotation

2026 spalis 10 d., Šeštadienis

Today, Raimondas Zakrys’ “Tornado KM II - Meistro kodas” team begins a new season in the Lithuanian Youth Basketball League U15 C Division.

Entering the season with a refreshed team name, Tornado will compete in Group A, which this year features as many as 11 teams. That means a long regular season, many different opponents and plenty of opportunities for the team to develop through competition.

Last season, the boys successfully completed the regular season and reached the TOP16 stage. There, they faced a hard-fought best-of-three playoff series that ended 2:1 in favour of their opponents. The team now enters the new season with that experience behind them and a clear understanding of how important consistency can be throughout the championship.

Team Tornado KM II - “Meistro kodas”

Competition MKL U15 C Division

Group A 11 teams

What is the main goal for the team this season – is the aim to return to where you stopped last year and try to take another step forward?

– We always try to prepare one game at a time, so the next game is always the most important one for us. This year, as many as 11 teams will compete in Group A of the MKL C Division, so there will be plenty of games and repeating last season’s result will certainly not be easy.

Only four teams from the group will qualify for the TOP16, so our first goal is to earn a place in the playoffs. Once we get there, we will have a much clearer idea of how strong we are this season and how far we can go.

Looking at individual player development, in which areas would you most like to see progress this season – technique, decision-making, physical preparation or player responsibility?

– As a coach, what I want most is for the players to maintain concentration both in practices and in games. It is important that every player gives his maximum, stays attentive and remains focused.

If we can maintain concentration for longer periods, the number of mistakes will naturally decrease. And when every player performs his role responsibly, it becomes much easier to achieve stronger team results as well.

How did the team’s preparation for the season look in practice – what has pleased you the most so far, and where do you still see the greatest room for improvement?

– At the moment, our biggest focus is on defence. We want to stay active for all 40 minutes and maintain a high level of energy.

We have enough players who can confidently replace one another, so one of our strengths should be a deep rotation. We want to use that to our advantage – maintaining energy, intensity and commitment on both ends of the court.