By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
BOLOGNA, Italy – After five consecutive wins in the early beginning of the season, surprising everybody all over Europe, Virtus Bologna came back to reality with a heavy 26-point defeat on the road in Madrid in Round 7.
Tonight, another streak was broken: Real Madrid‘s losing span of three games in the EuroLeague. Reinforcing its ruler status in Europe this season, Chus Mateo’s team didn’t leave any chance to Virtus Bologna, which has now suffered its second straight loss.
Pushing until the final 89-74, Guerschon Yabusele was the protagonist of an effective night in Italy, going close to a double-double with 15 points (3/4 from two, 3/3 from three) and 7 assists. Dzanan Musa followed his French teammate in scoring with 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. Pushing his team late in the game, Vincent Poirier contributed to Real Madrid‘s win with 12 points and 7 rebounds.
“Knowing that Virtus is trying to reach the playoffs too and that it was going to be a very tough game, I think we had good mentality, knowing we didn’t have to turnover the ball and knowing their strength. They can score in a row very easily with some of them, it’s not easy to beat Virtus here in a row after three straight defeats. The team is fighting every day”, Chus Mateo commented.
Providing energy for his team on several occasions, Isaia Cordinier went also close to a double-double with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Iffe Lundberg, who dominated last year in Madrid, ended with a losing effort of 11 points, just like Jordan Mickey, who lightened it up late in the game trying to bring his team to victory. Overall, Virtus Bologna shot 4/19 from three (21.1%) in a difficult night.
“Real Madrid came to Bologna with one of their best games this season, with tons of aggressiveness. They had a great night from the perimeter, perfect from the foul line. They knew they had to play their best basketball to win. One more time my players demonstrated they belong to this level, to keep contact with such teams and players, you need to be almost perfect”, Luca Banchi said
La mandarina doing his thing 🍊😍#MotorolaMagicMoment l @Moto l @23Llull pic.twitter.com/8FXCNBmXD5
— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) March 15, 2024
Real Madrid always had the game in its hands
After a few minutes of solid defense by Virtus Bologna and veteran solutions by the reigning champs, Isaia Cordinier asked for some support from the fans in the stands with a dunk in transition at 4:57 on the clock. Alberto Abalde brought Real Madrid up by 10 points (16-6), forcing Luca Banchi’s timeout; later on, his wingman teammate Gabriel Deck shot at the buzzer to push the Spanish side back up 23-15.
Playing with limited minutes recently, Ognjen Dobric converted his first shot after coming into the game, with a running floater at 7:14 on the floor. Chus Mateo’s seemed to play on a completely different page and went up 32-19 midway through the second quarter. Virtus Bologna quickly replied, reducing the deficit to nine points (34-25) at 4:21. With one of his usual shots, Sergio Llull banked in with a side-step three-pointer to restore Real Madrid’s 13-point lead (44-31).
The reigning champs were on a roll in the third quarter, never slowing down. Dzanan Musa converted a three-pointer from the front for Real Madrid’s 15-point lead with 3:47 minutes left in the fourth quarter. A little bit later, Toko Shengelia turned a steal into a dunk in transition, hyping up the crowd; Iffe Lundberg gave more hope in the last minute, converting from the left corner, while Isaia Cordinier scored in transition with a Jordanesque layup to close the third quarter.
Despite some comeback attempts coming from Virtus Bologna, Mario Hezonja silenced the crowd twice late in the game, scoring from the deep left corner for the 13-point lead (69-56) at 7:14 minutes on the clock. However, with back-to-back three-pointers coming first from Jordan Mickey and then from Ognjen Dobric, Luca Banchi’s team found itself back within seven points (69-62).
The former Real Madrid center was on fire, dunking for the five-point deficit (71-66). Vincent Poirier wrote the final word for Virtus Bologna’s defeat at 1:59 on the clock in the fourth, scoring consecutive layups close to the rim for Real Madrid’s 11-point lead (81-70). Chus Mateo’s team could snap its three-game losing streak in the EuroLeague after the defeats to Milan, Panathinaikos, and Fenerbahce.
With this victory on the road, Real Madrid stays on top at 23-6, while Virtus Bologna remains 7th just out of the playoff picture at 17-12. In next week’s double-game action, both Virtus Bologna and Real Madrid will play on the road. The Italian side will face Zalgiris Kaunas and Crvena Zvezda, while the reigning champions will go up against ALBA Berlin and Partizan Belgrade.
PHOTO CREDIT: Virtus Segafredo Bologna