ROLANDAS JAKSTAS JOINS NEPTUNAS

The club from Klaipeda is strengthening their team - a forward, 21 years of age, 202 cm tall, Rolandas Jakstas has joined the team.

This player is well-known to the head coach of Neptunas Kazys Maksvytis - one of the golden Lithuanian youth national team members, reaping the laurels of the European and World championship together with Jonas Valanciunas, Arnas Butkevicius, Edgaras Ulanovas and other basketball players from this generation.

"This is a one more step to the peak of my career. I am glad that Neptunas invited me to its team. I shall try to meet the coach's Kazys Maksvytis expectations. Even before this season, I mentioned to the coach that it would be fine to join Neptunas, and this long-awaiting hour has dawned", R. Jakstas said, without hiding his joy.

This week he terminated his contract with the Kedainiai Nevezis basketball team under mutual agreement.

"We settled amicably. I want to improve, play more, and further my career", explained the player.

Photo by Fotodiena.lt

As the coach of Neptunas KazysMaksvytis put it, after Andrew Smith bid farewell to the team due to his health problems, we had to strengthen our team.

"We needed a tall man. We have been looking for a player playing in position 5, but we selected Rolandas, who can play as No. 4 and 5. This is only an advantage. We have selected this player because we know him. We know nearly all of Rolandas' capabilities. He is going to play as long as he deserves it. Everything will depend upon him. But I think that he will have more options here to demonstrate his abilities than he could by playing in Kedainiai", K. Maksvytis explained.

Rolandas Jakstas averaged about 13 minutes in the games of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL), scoring 3.1 points and rebounding 3.6 balls per game this season.

His statistics are better in the Baltic Basketball league (BBL) - 17 minutes, 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. R. Jakstas used to get 9.7 efficiency performance points.

Another home game is being played by Neptunas against the Minsk-Tsmoki team (on Sunday) at 6 pm, on 12th January. This will be a game of the VTB United League. It is expected that the new-comer of Neptunas Rolandas Jakstas will step up in it.

The Neptunas Management does not reject an option that any new player will supplement the team in the near future.
"We are watching and analysing the market. We may strengthen our team", the Communication Manager of Neptunas Algimantas Ercius said.