The two Italian EuroLeague teams face each other in the first game of another week with two rounds (the third for Olimpia). The so-called Italian derby is scheduled to be played in Bologna where Virtus is 3-1, beaten only by Zalgiris Kaunas on opening night. Five consecutive wins followed and then the defeat in Madrid. Olimpia’s path was reversed, having just interrupted a series of four defeats by prevailing against Valencia, which up until then had also a 5-1 record. Olimpia hasn’t won yet on the road: they came very close in Istanbul where the loss came in overtime and then in Berlin where they led the game comfortably until there were two minutes remaining. Virtus relies big on the MVP of the month in October, Toko Shengelia, fifth overall in terms of minutes played, the fourth-best scorer of the EuroLeague, third best in index rating, all numbers very close to those of Nikola Mirotic. Obviously, the two teams know each other well, in depth, even if the rosters with no limits on the number of foreigners that can be used is different from those implemented in the Italian league. Both teams suffer one certified absence, for Olimpia the shooter Billy Baron, for Virtus power forward Achille Polonara but Jordan Mickey is also doubtful. Olimpia has won its EuroLeague games by allowing to the opponents 105 points overall, 52.5 on average, record-breaking defensive performances, but against Valencia, Olimpia also scored 83 points. In Bologna, a “complete” game like last week’s is needed, even if Virtus built its wins on the offense’s high efficiency, 84.0 points per game, 58.2 percent shooting from two (second-best) and 38.9 percent shooting from three (fourth best). However, with the exception of the home game against Maccabi, Olimpia has always defended at a very high level and is now sixth in terms of points allowed, as well as having been capable of dominant defensive performances as already mentioned. Tip-off time is 20:30, on Tuesday, 14th of November.

REFEREES – Carlos Peruga (Spain), Arturas Sukys (Lithuania), Jordi Aliaga (Spain).

COACH ETTORE MESSINA – “It is obviously a tough road game. Virtus has been able to find immediately the right balance around their veterans, Shengelia, Hackett, Belinelli. Their roster was changed, but the core group of players stayed almost intact. They are very good at balacing their inside and outside game. So, we know it is going to be a very difficult game, it is always tough in Bologna, no matter what.”

NICOLO’ MELLI – “We have a lot of work to do and not much time; besides the opponent is playing with confidence and is a tough one, led by Toko Shengelia who is playing at a very high level. However, playing this kind of challenging games can help us to bring out something that has not been taken out, so far”.

Kyle Hines is approaching his 400th EuroLeague game

VIRTUS BOLOGNA OUTLOOK – So far, Virtus has been consistent in its starting line-up, using Daniel Hackett, Marco Belinelli and Isaia Cordinier on the perimeter, Tornike Shengelia as a power forward and Bryant Dunston as a center. Shengelia is the most effective player right now (17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game). Belinelli is the team’s second-best scorer with 13.6 points per game (43.2 percent from three), Cordinier adds 10.0 points per game on 61.3 percent shooting on twos. Dunston is dangerous as an offensive rebounder (4.4 total rebounds, 2.0 offensive) and in the paint he builds the opportunities to average 5.0 points per game on 64.0 percent shooting from the field. Jordan Mickey has never started but averages 11.4 points per game, playing over 22 minutes per game. However, he is doubtful for the game. Hackett is averaging 6.5 points per game on 64.3 percent from two. In addition to Mickey’s, off the bench are effectively coming Alessandro Pajola as a point guard (3.3 points and 3.0 assists on average) and Ognjen Dobric (6.6 points per game but very efficient shooting: 76.9 percent from two, 53.3 percent from three). The rotation also includes Jaleen Smith (5.7 points per game), a combo guard who is dangerous as a shooter, Iffe Lundberg (4.5 points per average over 13.3 minutes), and the big man Devontae Cacok as well as Awudu Abass.

HISTORY Vs BOLOGNA – In Milan, the record is 74-25 for Olimpia; in Bologna it is 37-62. The total is 113-90 in Olimpia’s favor including the games played on a neutral court. Obviously, all the games played in the Italian league between the two teams are included in this summary. Considering only the EuroLeague games, the record is 2-3. Olimpia won the 1997 round of 16, 2-1, winning Game 3 at home. Virtus has won the two games played during the last season.

VIRTUS CONNECTION – Giampaolo Ricci has played in Bologna for two seasons, winning the 2021 Italian league championship as Captain. Daniel Hackett has played in Milano for two years, winning the 2014 Italian championship. Awudu Abass has played two seasons in Milano, from 2017 to 2019, winning the 2018 Italian championship and twice the Italian Supercup. Ettore Messina has been part of Virtus Bologna since the 1983/84 season when he was an assistant coach to Alberto Bucci. He became head coach before the 1989/90 season and stayed there until 1992/93. He returned in 1997 and stayed until 2002. With Virtus, he has won the Euroleague twice (1998 and 2001), the Cup of Cups’ winners in 1990, three times he led the team to the Italian championship (1993, 1998, 2001). Virtus Bologna’s coach, Luca Banchi has coached Olimpia for two years, from 2013 to 2015, winning the Italian championship in 2014.

DEFENSE, DEFENSE! – The 52 points allowed to Valencia are the best defensive game of the season for Olimpia, replacing the 53 allowed to Olympiacos. It was also the 5th best defensive game ever. The record is still the 43 points allowed to Fenerbahce in 2021/22, in Istanbul.

KYLE HINES NOTES – Kyle Hines has played 117 EuroLeague games for Olimpia so far, the third-most game for any Olimpia player, behind Kaleb Tarczewski and Nicolò Melli. Besides, he is five away from reaching 1,000 defensive rebounds for his career, a milestone surpassed by only seven players so far, Nicolò Melli included. Meanwhile, he became the All-Time first player for games played in the EuroLeague and with 398 is two appearances short from 400 for his career.

NICOLO’ MELLI NOTES – Nicolò Melli is three appearances away from reaching Kaleb Tarczewski’s 156 as the All-Time leader for games played in the EuroLeague with Olimpia. Meanwhile, he has put Ante Tomic behind him as the sole holder of fifth place All-Time in the defensive rebounds list. The fourth place belongs to Georgios Printezis with 1,065, 32 rebounds ahead of the Olimpia captain.

SHAVON SHIELDS NOTES – Shields surpassed 1,500 career points scored in Berlin. 993 have been scored for Olimpia, the 4th-best ever. The only three players who have scored more than 1,000 points in the top European competition are Bob McAdoo, Vlado Micov and Sergio Rodriguez. He is averaging 31.0 minutes per game, the third-most of any player, behind Nigel Hayes-Davis (Fenerbahce) and Kostas Papanikolau (Olympiacos).

NIKOLA MIROTIC NOTES – Nikola Mirotic enters the seventh game of the EuroLeague season first in the scoring list (20.3 points per game), first in index rating (24.7), second in rebounds (7.3). Mirotic is shooting 62.0 percent on twos and 43.6 percent on threes. 

Share the article with your friends and support the team

Share the article with your friends and support the team
URL Copied to clipboard! Copia link