By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Leading by comfortable distance for most of the forty minutes, Virtus Segafredo Bologna weathered the second-half storm and secured the win, 83-73, at La Fonteta Wednesday evening.
Deflating a double-digit cushion on both occasions, the Italian side failed to get the job done against Valencia twice in the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season. Competing for a spot in the Finals produced an entirely different result and a home game opposite Frutti Extra Bursaspor for the title next Wednesday, 11 May.
Georgian Tornike Shengelia, a 2010 EuroCup champion, logged 15 points, including eight in the second quarter pushing the visitors to a 14-point advantage. The Oranges were back in shooting distance early in the fourth period but ten unanswered points recovered a safe lead for the team based in Bologna.
Marco Belinelli chipped in 14 points and Milos Teodosic had 12 more points. Amar Alibegovic was sidelined along with long-term injured teammates Awudu Abass and Ekpe Udoh.
Eight players getting on the scoreboard from the first quarter displayed the depth of the squad coached by Sergio Scariolo and was instrumental in assuming control of the game.
The comeback for the team guided by Joan Penarroya, fueled by the effective defense to start the second half, fell short and thus ended the EuroCup campaign for the four-time winners of the competition.
Jasiel Rivero registered 17 points and Xabier Lopez-Arostegui finished with 16 points in the losing effort. Out for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, Klemen Prepelic was not available.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net