By Cesare Milanti/ info@eurohoops.net
Thanks to an offensive clinic in the first half (47-27), FC Barcelona got the upper hand over Virtus Bologna in front of a sold-out Segafredo Arena, winning impressively 92-75.
After losing 83-75 at home in Round 17 at the hands of Virtus, Barcelona took revenge, bringing back to Spain an important victory.
Nikola Mirotic, who played under coach Sergio Scariolo with the Spanish national team, was the highest scorer of the away team with 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Rokas Jokubaitis followed with 13 points, while Alex Abrines erupted for beyond the arc (4/4), delivering an effective offensive performance with 16 points in just 13 minutes on the court.
“Personally it’s a big pleasure to be back in Basket City, I think that EuroLeague missed Bologna a lot. We were really solid, defensively and offensively I thought this was a game where things were going our way. Rokas got back the spark, he had the team in his hands, he was extremely solid”, coach Sarunas Jasikevicius commented in the post-game press conference.
Mam Jaiteh was the highest-scorer for Sergio Scariolo’s side with 14 points and 5 rebounds, but the 2021-22 EuroCup MVP also registered 6 turnovers.
Iffe Lundberg followed with 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Marco Belinelli added with 12 points and 3/6 from the perimeter.
“Very few words to say. Barcelona is a top-level team, they gave us a good glimpse of what a top EuroLeague team is, and this is good to take a learning class. Even if I appreciated the effort of the last quarter, a show of pride and desire, my analysis is gonna be on the first half, where we have to think, improve, and learn about both ends of the floor. We keep fighting”, coach Sergio Scariolo said after the loss at home.
After a pretty balanced first quarter, the Catalan team managed to run away in the second quarter with a 21-0 run from 24-23 to 45-23.
The offensive dominance went on until the fourth quarter, where Virtus had a 36-18 run, with high shooting percentages. Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team shot 48.5% from two, 50% from the arc, and 78.9% at the line to capture its third win in a row.
Sergio Scariolo didn’t have Isaia Cordinier and Semi Ojeleye due to a thigh injury. Sergi Martinez spent his first minutes on the court in this year’s EuroLeague for Barcelona.
In Round 25, which will be played after the national cups break, Virtus Bologna (11-13) will play once again at home, facing Baskonia on February 24 at 20:30 CET. On the same day but fifteen minutes later, FC Barcelona (16-8) will host AS Monaco.
PHOTO CREDIT: Barça Basket