Virtus dominates Olimpia, good Venice
Bologna defeats Milan 83-65 and consolidates the first position. Trieste beats Reggiana in the second overtime, Pesaro has the better of Sassari
There Virtue Bologna puts a hand on the regular season of A league from trash can. In 26th daythe Emilians defeat theOlimpia Milan 83-65 in the direct match and go to +4. In the other challenges, important successes in the playoff area for Umana Reyer Venice on Fortitudo Bologna (77-72), for Tortona in Cremona (74-73) and Pesaro against Dinamo Sassari (75-73). Trieste flies to extra time with Reggiana, Varese lose with Treviso.
VIRTUS BOLOGNA – OLIMPIA MILAN 83-65
Virtus Bologna wins the direct clash against a remodeled Milan and consolidates the first place in the league. The Emilians win 83-65 and find their eleventh consecutive success in Serie A. Olimpia starts better up to 12-6 but suffers a 14-0 run and sinks slowly but surely: Scariolo’s men arrive at the interval long at +12 and continue without difficulty, taking advantage of the deeper bench and the greater physicality in rebounding. The 83-65 final photographs the clear difference between the two teams in the evening. Virtus Bologna turns beautifully with 18 points each for Jaiteh (in double double with 15 rebounds), Cordinier and Weems and the assists of Teodosic (7): with this success, it goes to +4 right on Olimpia, which does not it goes beyond Bentil’s 15 points and Baldasso’s 12 points.
UMANA REYER VENICE – FORTITUDO BOLOGNA 77-72
Umana Reyer continues their run towards the playoffs, scoring their fifth consecutive victory in the league, winning 77-72 against Fortitudo Bologna. Game full of overtaking and in full balance in the first part, until the Venetians stretch with a partial 15-0 to reach 34-25. The hosts also go to +16 before the reaction of Emilian pride, which shortens to 60-53. Two triples from Cerella dig a furrow which is now unbridgeable, despite Frazier (15 points) and Benzing (13) trying to bring the guests back under. Umana Reyer doesn’t give up and ends 77-72 with De Nicolao’s free (13 points with 5 assists and 3 rebounds). Excellent performances also for Theodore (18 points) and Watt (16 with 8 rebounds), which they use to bring Venice to 26, together with Tortona.
VICTORIA LIBERTAS PESARO – DYNAMO SASSARI 75-73
Pesaro signs a good comeback and overturns Dinamo Sassari 75-73. The Sardinians lead a good part of the match and seem able to take home the victory at 67-57 about 6 ‘from the end, but the triples of Delfino and Moretti reopen every discussion. A few too many mistakes by Logan allowed Victoria Libertas to return and then overtake at 11 ”with Tambone’s triple from the corner. On the other hand, Kruslin’s mistakes weigh 1/3 in the line and wrong long-range shot. Moretti’s 19 and Delfino’s 18 send Pesaro to 22 points, in eighth position, while Sassari, despite Bilan’s 25, remains at 24.
UNAHOTELS REGGIO EMILIA – ALLIANZ TRIESTE 103-109 dts
An amazing Banks dragged Allianz Trieste to victory at Unahotels Reggio Emilia, in a 109-103 which arrived only after the second extra period. The Friulians interrupt the series of seven defeats in a row also thanks to the American born in 1986, who scores 36 points and 11 rebounds, being dominant especially in the decisive phase. Game fought from start to finish: in the regulation 86-86 the defense of Allianz did not allow the shot to Strautins, in the first extra time the Latvian himself signed the triple of 96 equal to the end of the first overtime. But the immediate 7-0 in Trieste directs the match towards the final 109-103, which thwarts Cinciarini’s triple double (23 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds).
OPENJOBMETIS VARESE – NUTRIBULLET TREVISO 80-89
Good first for Nicola on the bench of Nutribullet Treviso. The Venetians conquer Varese 89-80, driven by the excellent performance of Bortolani (23 points with 4/6 of three) and by the plays of Russell (17 points), together with the athleticism of Sims in rebound (double double with 15 points and 12 rebounds). The Openjobmetis seems able to recover from the defeat suffered by Pesaro last week, but at the best it loses its effectiveness in the offensive phase and collapses from +6 in the third quarter to the knockout 89-80, which leads to Nutribullet two very precious points in the fight against salvation: now the penultimate Fortitudo Bologna is four points behind.
VANOLI CREMONA – BERTRAM DERTHONA TORTONA 73-74
External success of a certain weight for Tortona, who imposed 74-73 on the field of Vanoli Cremona, increasingly far from the possibility of saving. The Piedmontese have the upper hand thanks to a collective performance on the axis Filloy (16 points) and Wright (11), facilitated by Cain (9 points with 12 rebounds). For the Lombards, the performance of Spanish is not enough, with 19 points on the scoresheet. In the final point to point, Tortona surpasses 74-73 and rises to 26 points, fourth (on par with fifth Venice).