By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Crvena Zvezda needed a big win and Virtus Bologna wanted to turn the page after a coaching change. In the end, Zvezda made it for the hard-fought 94-87 win.
After this result, the Serbs have a balanced 7-7 record, while the Italians dropped to 2-12, remaining in the last spot of the standings.
Isaiah Canaan with 26 points and big shots down the stretch was the best of Zvezda, Luka Mitrovic added 21 points and Filip Petrusev had 20.
“You have to play on a high level, you cannot have empty minutes, like we had in a third quarter when we allowed Virtus to go up by 10,” said Mitrovic, who had also 6 rebounds. “But the good thing is that we didn’t lose our head in those moments.”
From the losing side, Toko Shengelia scored 25 points, Will Clyburn had 19 and Isaia Cordinier added 13.
A great finish by the guests
Playing under interim coach Nenad Jakovljevic, Virtus had a 19-18 lead after the first period but the guests opened up the season with a 14-5 run, jumping to an eight-point advantage (32-24) with Luka Mitrovic scoring 13 points.
With Crvena Zvezda in the driver’s seat, the Serbs closed the first half leading by six (44-38) as Canaan also scored 11 points and Clyburn did the same for the hosts.
The dogfight continued with Virtus tying the score at 52 and Cordinier giving the 55-52 lead with a three. At the end of the third quarter, Virtus was up by six (63-57) with Toko Shengelia reaching the 15-point mark.
The home team led by 12 (77-65) and that was the cue for Canaan to take over the game. Making big shot after big shot, the sharpshooter of the Serbs led an amazing comeback and with a partial 15-3 run tied the score at 80.
Zvezda took the lead, but entering the last two minutes, Shengelia tied the score at 85. What followed was a 7-0 run by Zvezda (92-85) that decided the outcome.
Photo credit: EuroLeague