Bologna made seventeen threes but more than anything else broke the game at the start of the second quarter off 11 straight points scored by Marco Belinelli. He took advantage, fully, of a flagrant foul called offensively on Nikola Mirotic. Bologna’s lead blossomed to 16 points and Olimpia was never able to fully close the gap. It came back within six and again, down by seven, Voigtmann made the tip-in basket that could have set the table for a contested couple of minutes. But the field goal was waved off and a foul on Melli was sanctioned. Bologna again took a breathe and won 84-75 in the end. “We had many opportunities to come back – Coach Ettore Messina said – but we never took adavntage of them, because of some unforced errors, most of the time, a turnover or a missed rebound. However, we weren’t fresh because of Friday’s Partizan game and we didn’t have Shields. All considered, this is not why we lost, but I have good feelings coming back home.”

Shavon Shields was a late scratch because of some left Achilles pain. He tried to go in the morning but the he failes his attempt to be able to play. Olimpia was without Stefano Tonut, too. The line-up was always too small or too unbalanced. However, Olimpia shot the ball well and paid for some missed rebound that Bologna was able to make the team pay for them. “They made a few threes when we missed a rebound and they kicked the ball out immediately and scored. Probably, they made the difference obviously along Belinelli’s flurry of three early in the second quarter,” Coach Messina pointed out.

Shabazz Napier scored 24 points, he was effective all night long, “his best game in two years against Virtus’ physicality”, Messina added. Mirotic and Voigtmann scored in doubel figure. Olimpia missed also some costly free throws, especially during the fatal second quarter.