By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
It was a crazy night in Bologna with Baskonia having the chance at least to send the game in overtime.
Still, Virtus got the 76-74 win with Mat Morgan scoring 17 points, Isaia Cordinier adding 16 points and Achille Polonara scoring 15.
For the losing side, newcomer Luka Samanic scored 16 points, however in the end Trent Forrest who had 10 points, missed the chance to send the game to overtime from the free throws line.
It was a hard night for Baskonia which dropped to 8-12 and remained 15th in the standings, while Virtus improved to 6-14.
Dusko Ivanovic spoke about his team’s character after the win. “Baskonia is a great team and they proved it tonight. Baskonia had a possibility in the last shot. I’m pleased because my players gave their all, with mistakes, turnovers, and missed shots but they gave it all”, he said.
Asked about whether Virtus is moving into the market, he kept it clear. “It’s time to enjoy the victory”, he said.
In the details
It was a game of runs that ended up being balanced with Baskonia getting the 20-14 lead after the first period and Virtus trailing by one point (38-37) at halftime.
The home side built a 59-51 advantage just before entering the last period.
Thanks to a buzzer-beating three by Baskonia’s Rogkavopoulos at the buzzer, the guests closed the third quarter down by five (59-54) and Baskonia was up 65-64 with five minutes left.
It was obvious that everything would be decided on details.
With three minutes left, Polonara drained a big three to make the score 71-67 in favor of Virtus after an unsportsmanlike foul on Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot that gave Mat Morgan also two free throws and the chance to Virtus to take a 68-67 lead.
Virtus extended the lead to 73-67 and even when Rogkavopoulos scored a three again (73-70), Cordinier answered right back the same way (76-70).
However, with 30 seconds left, Andrejs Grazulis was also called for an unsportsmanlike foul.
Trent Forrest trimmed the lead to two (76-74) from the free-throw line. Gazulis missed in the next play, but then Forrest, who got fouled, missed two free throws, and Rogkavopoulos missed the last shot at the buzzer.
Pablo Laso reacted to Baskonia’s uncertainties in the aftermath. “At the end we always come up short. We have very good potential, but these mistakes keep hurting us. We have to analyze why these mistakes keep on happening”, he said.
PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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