Virtus Segafredo Bologna – Panathinaikos Athens 74-64 (18-11; 43-30; 55-51)
Virtus outperforms Panathinaikos and clings to the Euroleague qualifiers. It was definitely a two-sided match. After a great first half, the Bianconeri were +13, and seemed to be able to take control, with an excellent defense on striker Bacon, keeping 2/11 of the field. But in the third quarter, Panathinaikos also got back into the game because Virtus put together an impressive series of flips and throws. In the last quarter, the Greeks also excelled, and the ghosts of the match against Asvel were watched at the Segafredo Arena. However, at the most crucial moment, Segafredo changed gears and scored a 14-0 winning run, also because the guests ran out of gas and got everything wrong. And if Teodosic was practically harmful in the first 25 minutes, then in the final he was very important, with weighty points and assists. It may not have been a great match (30 times in all), but it was important to win in any way, and so it was. Panathinaikos is two wins behind and with an unfavorable goal difference, they are effectively sidelined. MVP Toko Shengelia with 16 points, 7 assists, and a positive note of rebound control (40-28).
Report: Virtus starts well, with great defensive impact. Panathinaikos never had an easy chance, and at the first stop Vu Nere leads 18-11, with excellent Shengelia. Then comes +14 (25-11) with two good games for Baku. The guests are trying to come back with a triple, but Shengelia cannot be stopped: 43-30 in the middle.
In the third quarter, Segafredo starts with difficulty, with errors and nervousness. Teodosic loses several balls, hitting 1-9 which brings the Greeks back to -5. Hackett hits a crucial triple, then Lundberg hits back. But on the black and white side, there’s really a lot wrong, and Bana comes close. 55-51 in the 30th minute, with a 12-21 run in the fourth.
The last quarter: the bleeding continued, and after 3 minutes of attacking horrors, it overtook Panathinaikos (55-57). In the most difficult moments, Virtus reacts with pride: 14-0 signature Shengelia-Cordinier-Bako-Teodosic. Panathinaikos runs out of fuel, Teodosic lets anyone score, and it ends here: final 74-64.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna – Panathinaikos Athens 74-64 (18-11; 43-30; 55-51)
Bologna: Cordinier 5; Belinelli NE; Bagula 0, Baku 11, Gite 8, Lundberg 9, Shengelia 16; Hackett 7 Mickey 1 Weems NE; Ugeli 5; Teodosic 12. All
Athens: Kalaitzakis P.NE; Walters 15; me 7 papagiannis 6; Williams 10; Kalaitzakis G.NE; bacon 8; Shawqaz N. punicta 13; Grigones 3 Gudaitis 2. All. Radonik
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