Basketball, tournament semi-finals: Virtus Bologna beat Tortona

Tortona Virtus Bologna 82-89 (0-3 Series)

Virtus arrives at Olympia and the final will be the same as it was a year ago. The two battleships point in the same direction in their respective semi-finals, with both winning 3-0. Derthona tries to avenge heavy defeats in Segafredo Arena but in the second half Bologna came back to a high level and also won the match in Casale Monferrato. Without Creston hitting his foot, Dertona started though, trying to extend first a 7-4 and then a partial 6-0 midway through the quarter that advanced him to 16-10 thanks to a hat-trick from Macura, and then from distance, Bellinelli canceled out the first lead at 11-10. New signing Hunt makes his pentathlon debut, and is positive in his debut at the Segafredo Arena, taking out Candy at the start. Scariolo immediately relies on Belinelli and five centimeters and kilograms with Hackett, Cordinier, Shenghelia and Jaiteh, forced to be out for about ten minutes in the seventh minute due to a blow to the nose. Teodosic takes over and in the 8th minute sets up a hat-trick that reduces the gap to 3 points. The pace is low, but the innovations of the Serbian guard open opportunities for the basket as aids for Mickey. Abbas’ finesse and Harper’s free throws, who returned after a break due to aches and pains, set it up 26-21 at the end of the quarter.

Honoring arms

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Compared to the weak Derthona seen in the Segafredo Arena, there is now a more harmonious and convincing team and at the same time Virtus plays with less fire but always with a certain quality in personnel and in circulation. Less than black and white shot from 3, 5/10 tries midway through the second quarter from distance, with two bombs from Candy, staggering with 15 points probably remembering growing up in Fortitudo, and one from Radosevic. The energy of the Bianconeri also increases in defence, Virtus finding blocks and closing the gates made with great interest and intensity and Tortona managing to extend by 15 points, 41-26 in the 15th minute and 48-33 with a fantastic hat-trick by Daum in the 18th minute. The pace does not drop despite the throws Free and we go to halftime 55-39. A more determined and tough Virtus returns from the locker room, capable of 0-10 at 2’30’ led by Hackett, while Tortona does not see the basket for 4’30’. The team’s maneuvering of Bellinelli hitting Hackett on the hat-trick to make it 64-60 in the 27th minute is fantastic, right after Mickey Hunt’s three-point shot. Radosevic triples with 30 inches, but Belinelli puts on a quality rig and grounds his best. And on the sirens put up -4 from a stunning quarter for the Vs Blacks, 70-66. 1′ is enough for Virtus to tie Mickey at 70-70, In line Mickey puts Bologna ahead for the first time, 72-73 and Cordinier makes his first +3 from mid range. Tortona becomes inaccurate and rushes to the basket, Bellinelli triples for +6, 72-78 in the 33rd minute. Daum 3 game gives some oxygen, mid-period 79-82. Tortona is loaded with errors and quickly returns to +6 only with free throws: Virtus’ comeback is unwavering and Virtus wins 82-89, and Dirtona remains the honor of the war but without the satisfaction of prolonging the series in the least.

Tortona: Daum 17, Candi 15, Macura 14 Bologna: Hackett 22, Belinelli and Shengelia 11