By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Virtus Bologna prevailed (74-68) over Real Madrid, which hasn’t started their season as expected.
In their third game in four days and after losing to Valencia Basket in the Super Cup, Sergio Scariolo’s team hasn’t quite put the pieces together and starts with a defeat.
A brilliant Carsen Edwards (14 points), who emerged in the second half, led his team in offense.
He was joined by Luca Vildoza (11) and Saliu Niang (12) in this new version of Virtus. For Madrid, Mario Hezonja’s 14 points and Gabriel Deck’s 12 were of little use, while Theo Maledon lost his second straight game due to injury.
Bad three-point percentage and defense
A 24-16 run in the second quarter for Virtus put Ivanovic’s team ahead, and that proved to be enough.
The final quarter was a mixture of foul stops, with Carsen Edwards showing his stellar performance, proving he’s one of the Euroleague’s best players. Facundo Campazzo emerged in the final minute (70-68) to scare the hosts, but he also missed the layup that would tie the game and send it to overtime.
Real Madrid‘s 3/23 shooting from three-point range was crucial as they tried to come back.