The regular season last road game is the Italian so-called derby and will be played in Bologna. Olimpia – after having failed in the last three games – is forced to win to keep the chance of accessing the EuroLeague post-season through the play-in alive. The game between Red Star Belgrade and Anadolu Efes scheduled a few minutes before tip-off in Bologna is important, too, on top of Olimpia obligation to prevail in its own games. One season ago, 17 victories were enough to conquer the play-in participation, now it is not certain that 18 will be enough. Olimpia is currently at 16: it faces Virtus in Bologna and then Baskonia in Milan, two teams already eliminated from contention but justly determined to close the season on a high note. Last week, Virtus for example won clearly in Berlin. Compared to the road game in Naples, Olimpia has recovered Armoni Brooks and lost Leandro Bolmaro, who reported a nasal fracture in practice.
Virtus Bologna-Olimpia Milano will be played on Friday, April 4 at 20:30 in Bologna.
COACH ETTORE MESSINA– “The fact that we are missing severalplayers must not affect our attitude. We will have to play a careful, physical game with the absolute will to try to win, in Bologna and the following game, to give ourselves a chance to keep the hope of reaching the play-in tournament alive. We spoke among ourselves and each of us will produce the best possible game against an excellent opponent.”
BOLOGNA OUTLOOK – Coach Dusko Ivanovic, one of the most experienced coaches in Europe, took over from Luca Banchi during the season. The other new addition during the season was the addition of Justin Holiday among the perimeter players where Virtus counts on Alessandro Pajola, Daniel Hackett and Matt Morgan as point guards; Marco Belinelli, Isaia Cordinier and Holiday as guards. Pajola, one of the most highly rated defenders in Europe, scores 5.6 points per game and adds 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals on average. Hackett, a 37-year-old veteran, plays 15.2 minutes per game with 2.6 points. Morgan, who is completing his first EuroLeague season, averages 7.7 points and 2.6 assists per game. Belinelli, who just turned 39, averages 6.2 points per game. Cordinier, a French national and a silver medalist at the 2024 Olympics, is Virtus’ most productive guard with 12.3 points, 3.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds on average, 57.6 percent two-point shooting. Holiday has seven appearances with 3.0 points per game. The small forward is Will Clyburn, just back from a long injury. In the 22 games he has played he has played at his usual high level as shown by his 13.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Clyburn also has 1.2 steals per game over 27 minutes on the court, the most on the team with Cordinier and Tornike Shengelia. The Georgian is another super EuroLeague veteran, first on the team in points (15.7) and rebounds (5.2). He also dishes 2.8 assists per game and has now become a credible three-point shooter (37.5 percent). Achille Polonara is his backup at the power forward spot but can play with him when Shengelia moves to the center position. In 16.3 minutes on the court, he averages 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds. The centers are Ante Zizic (7.7 points on 63.0 percent from two, 3.8 rebounds per game, 1.9 offensive rebounds) and Momo Diouf (6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds on average, 61.0 percent shooting from two).
THE BOLOGNA CONNECTION – Giampaolo Ricci played for Virtus Bologna for two seasons, winning the 2021 Italian league championship as the team Captain. Daniel Hackett played for Milan for two years, winning the 2014 Italian league championship. Ettore Messina became head coach of Virtus Bologna in the 1989/90 season, remaining there until the 1992/93 season included, only to return in 1997 and remain there until 2002. In these two stints he won the Euroleague twice (1998 and 2001), the Cup Winners’ Cup once (1990), the Italian league championship three times (1993, 1998 and 2001), and the Italian Cup three more times. Alberto Seravalli, Coach Messina’s assistant, has been part of the Virtus staff in the last two seasons.
