Stenionis arrives in Girona with an option for continuity

Dominykas Stenionis is now a player for FIATC Girona. The Lithuanian point guard, born on July 3, 2002, in Kaunas, signs a temporary agreement with the Catalans that includes the possibility of extending throughout the season. Standing at 1.79 meters tall, the Lithuanian international arrives from Valmiera Glass VIA, where he recorded impressive numbers in the last regular season of the Latvian league.

The signing of Stenionis addresses the club's need to strengthen the point guard position due to Isaac's injury and the start of the double competition. Fernando San Emeterio, sporting director, explained that the player has ideal characteristics for the project: game generation ability, imbalance in defense, and offensive versatility. The coach especially valued his adaptability to the Girona style of play and his competitive potential in the ACB following his performance in lower-ranked leagues.

Career in Eastern Europe

Stenionis began his professional career at Zalgiris Kaunas during the 2019/20 season, where he spent three seasons with the club's second team. He then left the youth setup to join Nevezis, a team in the Lithuanian top division, where he played two seasons, solidifying his experience in higher-level domestic competition. The leap to European competition came in the 2024/25 season when he signed with Lietkabelis, also from the Lithuanian elite, where he debuted in the EuroCup.

He spent the last season at Valmiera Glass VIA in Latvia, where he showed significant growth under the guidance of coach Kaspars Vecvagars, a well-known figure to Bàsquet Girona fans. The Latvian coach joined the Catalan club in July 2021 and helped achieve promotion from LEB Oro to Liga Endesa in that same season. With Valmiera, Stenionis recorded averages of 13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, with an average rating of 17.1 points.

Titles and standout performance in Latvia

The Lithuanian point guard has played a key role in winning two titles with Valmiera Glass VIA. Firstly, he conquered the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League after a six-game playoff phase, where he significantly elevated his performance. During that decisive round, Stenionis averaged 17.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game, achieving a rating of 19 points. Later, he also won the Latvian Basketball Cup after Valmiera defeated Ventspils in the final of the competition.

These successes reflect the player's ability to perform under pressure and in decisive moments, qualities that the Girona coaching staff considers essential for facing the Spanish domestic competition. His evolution in the context of Latvian basketball has been evident, establishing himself as a starting point guard on a team that won two titles in the same season, demonstrating his relevance in the Riga team's game scheme.

International experience and projection

Before his arrival in professional basketball, Stenionis participated in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament with the U18 team of Zalgiris Kaunas during the 2019/20 season, showcasing his follow-up from elite training categories. At the international level, he has represented Lithuania in youth categories, competing in European and World Championships with the U19 and U20 teams. With the U19 national team, he participated in the World Championship held in Latvia in 2021. A year later, in 2022, he participated in the U20 European Championship in Montenegro, where Lithuania finished in second place after Spain.

The Lithuanian point guard has already debuted with the Lithuanian senior national team. He did so on August 28, 2026, in the match against Turkey corresponding to the European qualifying phase for the FIBA World Cup 2027. This international experience reinforces his competitive profile and his ability to operate in high-demand contexts, aspects that have influenced FIATC Girona's decision to incorporate him into the project.

Reasons for the signing and expectations

Fernando San Emeterio justified the inclusion of Stenionis by emphasizing that the club needed to strengthen the management of the game to start the season with three available point guards. The sporting director highlighted that the Lithuanian player performed very well in a league below the ACB level, but the club believes he is ready to make the competitive leap to the highest Spanish category. Vecvagars and his coaching staff particularly value that the point guard fits the style of play Girona wants to develop.

According to the sporting management, Stenionis is a small player but with a lot of character and very electric in his playing style. He has a great ability to create advantages for his teammates, imbalance in the first line of attack, and find good passes. Additionally, he has a good ability to create his own shots, making him a versatile point guard capable of contributing in multiple ways to the offensive play. For these reasons, the club decided to initially sign him with a temporary contract, leaving open the option for him to remain for the entire season if his adaptation is satisfactory and his performance justifies it in the ACB competition.

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