Most of the Vytis players have known each
other since 1947, when they played in Wuerzburg, Germany.
Stasys (Stan) Urnevicius, the captain (who
at 31 is the oldest of the team), learned basketball in Lithuania in his early
teens, played in his college team, later for the Vilnius University and finally
in the renowned LFLS team.
In Germany he lived in Wuerzburg, where
Kestas Jaciunskis (born 1926) was captain of the junior team. Virgilius Gurskis (now 21) was also there,
but just learning to play. Later
Algimantas (Algis) Ignatavicius (now 20), from Schweinfurt, joined the juniors.
In Adelaide those four, although having
arrived at different times. Met each other again and formed a team. By 1951
they had been joined by Nikolaj (Nick) Brovcenko (22), Vitas Merunas (30),
Edvardas Kurauskas (32), Anatolijus Kitas (25) and Eugenius Pyragius (20).
The first five are; Urnevicius (right
forward), Ignatavicius (centre), Jaciunskas (Left forward), Gurksis (left
guard), Brovcenko (right guard).
Urnevicius (5ft 10in) is the brain of the
team. He has the onerous job of being
playing coach. He commands remarkable
respect, not only form his own boys, but also from players of other clubs.
What he says goes. His court craft is excellent. He knows all the tricks of the trade and also
how to keep the team together; when to take time outs and when to decide on
fresh tactics.
His medium distance one handed shots from
the shoulder are deadly. Yet he feels
that are is gradually catching up with him and that he has no more than one or
two competitive seasons left. Then he
will switch to coaching alone.
Ignatavicius (5ft 10in) is the youngest and
most admirable player. His improvement
has been unbelievably rapid. In 1947 he
could hardly get a place in a junior team.
In 1950 he was chosen in the all Australian team. He plays a very elegant, fast game, dealing
out quick passes and shooting goals effortlessly form anywhere over the centre
line.
He seldom touches an opponent. Most of the time he is on the move, having
developed a dislike of congested places on court. However, when the going gets
real close, he can fight like a tiger at the basket and he can leap high to
snatch rebounds from opponents much taller than himself.
In 1950 he was the most successful goal
sneak in the association and second best in 1951. Shortly after the 1951 season ended, Algis
left for Melbourne to play with a Lithuanian team. However, it seems that he
has not found things entirely to his liking there, and will be back in Adelaide
before the 1952 season is over. Just as
well, otherwise his team might find it difficult to get a substitute for the
vacant centre forward post.
Jaciunskas (5ft 10 in) is the team ‘tank’
but a mighty fast one. His stamina is
seemingly inexhaustible. At the final
bell he will going just as strongly as during the first minute. His control of the ball is enviable, his
fighting spirit unquenchable.
He is always where the ball is, following
it in the roughest tumble. He is an
excellent medium distance goal shooter and from underneath the basket will
score with his eyes closed. His fighting
heart sometimes earns penalty shots against him, but that is his only blemish.
Gurskis (6ft) is one of the staunchest and
stablest SA guards. He is Vytis
vice-captain and it is amazing that at his age he should display such coolness,
anticipation and presence of mind in the firmest battle. He knows exactly where to expect a rebound
form his own board and once he has put his fingers on to the leather he will
never let go. It just sticks to him.
Most feared are his accurate long distance
shots, which often force a defending team to send a man forward just to prevent
Gurskis from making what would be ‘pot shot’ for most players but is a 2 to 1 on certainty for Gurskis.
Brovcenko, at 6ft 1 in, the tallest man in
the team, has also developed remarkably.
In 1949 he provided the spectators with tons of fun because of a little
cap he wore which would inevitably fall off during a scramble.
Within 12 months he had turned into a fully
fledged guard, strongly supporting Gurskis and shattering the early conception
that Vytis was playing a ‘four men’s game’.
The solid veteran Kurauskas, the tall agile
former Western Australian Merunas, the fast footballer Kitas, the quick witted,
technically flawless Pyragius, constitute Vytis first reserve who may soon gain
a permanent place if Urnevicius retires or studies compel Brovcenko to
withdraw.
But when they move up, others will take
place of first reserves as Vytis has a second team and many youngsters keen to
improve.
