By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Achille Polonara has been diagnosed with myeloid leukemia and has started treatment in Bologna’s Sant’Orsola-Malpighi.
In a press release on Monday, Virtus Segafredo Bologna shared the medical update on the 33-year-old forward.
The native of Ancona previously overcame testicular cancer and returned to action midway through the 2023-24 season.
Down the stretch of the 2024-25 campaign, with the team coached by Dusko Ivanovic focusing on the LBA UnipolSai Playoffs, Polonara was sidelined due to mononucleosis syndrome and sat out recent games. Further medical tests by specialists led to the leukemia diagnosis and immediate specific therapies.
A veteran of 179 appearances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, including 54 with Vu Nere over the last two seasons, he last played in Game 2 of the domestic league’s Semifinals opposite EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on June 2. His side went on to qualify for the Finals of Italy’s top-tier division and jumped to a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five championship series against Germani Brescia.
LBA Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best of five)
Virtus Segafredo Bologna – Umana Reyer Venice 3-2 (90-85, 77-75, 82-89, 78-84, 86-84)
Dolomiti Energia Trento – EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 1-3 (70-73, 70-67, 79-107, 82-89)
Germani Brescia – Trieste 3-1 (89-77, 92-103, 80-70, 92-88)
Trapani Shark – UnaHotels Reggio Emilia 3-0 (80-75, 102-88, 90-83)
Semifinals (best of five)
Virtus Segafredo Bologna – EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 3-1 (68-67, 66-85, 78-68, 84-78)
Trapani Shark – Germani Brescia 0-3 (92-93, 77-85, 86-92)
Finals (best of five)
Virtus Segafredo Bologna – Germani Brescia 2-0 (90-87, 75-65)
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net