By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
Thanks to an amazing offensive performance in the second half, Virtus Bologna managed to end the EuroLeague Regular Season on a happy note, winning the second Italian derby in the competition this season after getting the away win in November. In Round 34, they beat Milano 89-84 at home.
The Marco Belinelli-Daniel Hackett duo dragged the hosts. Virtus Bologna’s captain ended the game by scoring 21 points, while the former CSKA Moscow point guard dominated the encounter by getting his first double-double of the year with 25 points and 10 assists. Toko Shengelia added 15 with 7 dimes.
“Even if the game wasn’t really relevant, overall it’s been quite an enjoyable game. We played with consistency and seriousness. We came back after we adjusted in the locker room, and the ethic was consistently excellent in the second half. We have no regrets for how we played this EuroLeague season”, Sergio Scariolo commented following the win.
Johannes Voigtmann was the top scorer with 19 points and 6 rebounds for the reigning LBA champions, which have now ended the EuroLeague season with a 15-19 record, while Virtus Bologna has closed it with a record of 14-20. Billy Baron and Brandon Davies followed combining for 24 points.
Luwawu-Cabarrot released
“I think it was a good game, both teams played hard. We had two good quarters, the beginning of the fourth quarter decided the game. Daniel Hackett basically created 50 points for them, which is remarkable. He and Beli were absolutely outstanding and led Virtus to the win. With the end of the regular season, our agreement with Luwawu-Cabarrot ended with the EuroLeague Regular Season”, Ettore Messina said in the post-game press conference about the former NBA player who was a mid-season addition.
At halftime, Olimpia Milano was leading 47-39 after winning both first quarters. But from then on, the home side stepped on the gas and took control of the game despite ending with very bad percentages at the charity stripe (64.3%, 18/28). The red-and-white side shot better (60.6% from two, 44.0% from three, and 91.7% at the line), but couldn’t take home the win.
Ettore Messina didn’t have Nicolò Melli, Paul Biligha, and Shabazz Napier, who has been dominating the scene since joining in late January, while he decided to sideline Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot, Davide Alviti, and Tommaso Baldasso, Sergio Scariolo didn’t have Nico Mannion, Milos Teodosic – who was earlier listed as available in Virtus Bologna’s official preview – Alessandro Pajola, Isaia Cordinier, and Awudu Abass.
This was the last EuroLeague game of the season for the two Italian teams, which didn’t manage to qualify for the playoffs. However, their basketball year continues with the LBA and the playoffs in the Italian league, where the black-and-white team is ahead of their rivals by two points.
With Reyer Venezia and Germani Brescia being eliminated in the EuroCup Eight-Finals respectively against Hapoel Tel Aviv and Turk Telekom Ankara, it’s the first time since the 2012-13 season that no Italian teams will be in the Top 8 in either of the two competitions.
PHOTO CREDIT: Virtus Segafredo Bologna