Euroleague basketball, Virtus Bologna beats Maccabi 78-73

Precious and heavy victory for Virtus which in the final comeback from Maccabi -7 and overturns the game with Coach Scariolo’s magata: mixed defense on Brown, public danger number 1, then the Hackett-Teodosic-Shengelia trio puts their hat on the match which relaunches the ambitions of the Juventus team.

V.BOLOGNA-MACCABI 78-73

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Bologna, without Ojeleye and Mickey, scores a beautiful brace 48 hours after the success on Alba. There is the long-distance duel between coach Scariolo and point guard Lorenzo Brown, star of the Israeli team, who in the summer led Don Sergio’s Spain from naturalized to the European title. First quarter immediately intense for rhythm and physical contacts. Bologna struggles at the start, suffers the first numbers from Brown, but then with the entry of Teodosic, immediately scoring from three, it unlocks with the flights of Bako and Shengelia. In the 10th minute it’s 20-16 for the Bianconeri. In the second quarter Virtus tries to escape riding the genius of Teodosic but the extension on 33-25 is quickly absorbed by Adams, by Nebo, a superb athlete who intimidates with his great athleticism, and by the big Sorkin who had already made the difference in Milan . Brief overtaking by Maccabi on 38-39 then comes a triple by Weems and a 2+1 game by Jaiteh which push Bologna ahead 44-41 at the break. Reprise with the same score. Maccabi also takes more physical action while Bologna, rotating small quintets, leaves only Jaiteh to protect the area against long and half-long opponents. When Teodosic goes on the bench to catch his breath, Virtus only makes quantities but ideas are in hiding. Meanwhile, Brown is back in the chair for overtaking with 5 points spun: 57-62 at the third siren. Last quarter with my heart in my throat. Bologna struggles to make a basket, the usual Teodosic unlocks it after the +7 outside billed by the Brown-Nebo pair. Scariolo guesses the box and one defense (4 in the area and Cordinier on Brown) which becomes the winning weapon. A 2+1 from Hackett arrives which gives oxygen and everything is decided in the sprint. Then Cordinier snatches Brown and flies to dunk, the equal at 66 comes with a hook from Shengelia. With a free Jaiteh overtakes while Teodosic even does the dirty work. Shengelia from the line signs the +3 and the +5 (71-66: partial of 12-0). There is no more time for Maccabi, the Segafredo Arena sings and applauds the sixth victory of the Black V. The playoff zone is now closer.

Virtus Bologna: Hackett 15,
Teodosic 15, Shengelia 12
Maccabi: Brown 18, Colson 10, Nebo 9