Eurocup, playoffs: Virtus Bologna ahead, Venice eliminated

Virtus Bologna rejoices, Venice greets. These are the two verdicts for the Italians involved in the Eurocup playoffs, which also sensationally greets Partizan. Here’s how the round of 16 went.

VIRTUS-LIETKABELIS 75-67

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Virtus plays as a favorite in the first home round of the playoffs against the Lithuanians of Liektabelis who start strong, scoring two triples in a row for a quick 2-8 winger, then they are ground by the duo Hackett-Shengelia who with the usual Weems overturns on the Baltic team a fast 14-0 immediately taking control of the game. Bologna forward with a sprint counterattack by rotating 11 players in the first quarter to keep the pace high. A bit of frenzy feeds some too many mistakes, Virtus wraps up with some too light solutions but is ahead 18-14 undergoing a 20-meter triple from Lipkevicius. In the second quarter Bologna tries to stretch with an excellent Sampson who produces 9 points by attacking the iron with dunks and supports from the middle distance. Belinelli, on the other hand, struggles to carburetor, making mistakes that are easy for him. Virtus finds a +10 but does not run away, indeed Lietkabelis makes contact again and Gagic reaches -1 (30-29, break 0-9). Jaiteh makes a big voice under the basket, Weems steals and crushes, gasps in many pauses, at the interval it is 39-34 for the hosts thanks to a three-time spell from Teodosic. At the start of the second half Virtus seems to get their hands on the game with a 9-0 break that pushes them to +14 (51-37) but it is not enough because the Lithuanians come back under as in the first half: 52-50 in the 28 ‘. Maldunas and the Greek Kalaitzaikis put pressure on the Bolognese defense. At 30 ‘it is 56-52. The last quarter decides, Virtus is always on top, the giant Jaiteh, mvp in the evening with his 9/10 from two points, protects her then comes the triple from Weems and the liberating dunk of Jaiteh himself to chase away the nightmares with +9 that the Liektabelis can no longer recover. Bologna advances out of breath but in the meantime advances and in the next quarterfinal round it will always have the Ulm Germans at home, who surprised Badalona.
Virtus: Jaiteh 20, Weems 13, Sampson 11
Lietkabelis: Radicevic, Orelik 12, Maldunas 10

boulogne metropolitans-venice 66-87

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Venice says goodbye to the Eurocup, stunned in Paris by the Boulogne Métropolitans. Too heavy the absence of Theodore, in addition to Vitali and Daye, especially if Tonut and Brooks play undertone and Watt comes out for fouls at the end of the third period. Stone (10 assists, 5 rebounds) is one of the positive notes, along with Mazzola and Morgan in the last quarter, but the match was already decided. Theodore is there, but he will remain seated on the bench, De Raffaele prefers not to risk the play and must also deal with the absences of Vitali and Daye, starting quintet without Tonut with Bramos to complete the external battery with De Nicolao and Stone. Great impact of Umana (7-0) with watts raging, immediate reaction from Boulogne Métropolitans (7-7), when Watt’s offensive vein is extinguished (13-9), the orogranate attack that the 10-0 Parisian (19-13) with Tonut and Bramos struggling to get into the game. Hornsby is a mastiff in defense, but he is also deadly in attack (13-24). Mazzola has a good impact on the match, De Raffaele looks for the right quintet to stem the French, but the effects are limited (19-34). Bramos tries to rekindle Venezia (22-34), which however suffers terribly from rebounds (12-21 in the middle of the match), Tonut finds the first basket at the end of the second fraction (38-27), then Echodas closes from the line (30- 40). Watt deceives in the opening of the third period, an orogranate illusion, Human that is progressively drifting (52-37). Umana lacks energy, Watt comes out for fouls at the end of the third period, 15-0 in the second part of the match brings down the curtain well in advance (67-40). De Nicolao, Mazzola and Tonut reduce the gap in the final, when Morgan has some flashes in attack. The termination of the contract with Victor Sanders is official.
Boulogne Metropolitans: Hornsby 14, Hunter 14, Cummings 12
Venice: Watt 11, Bramos 9, De Nicolao 9, Mazzola 9

Partizan (Ser) -Bursaspor (Tur) 95-103

Partizan, too, is the most sensational result, abandoning the cup. The team of guru Obradovic and former Milanese Punter and LeDay falls in Belgrade against the Turks of Bursaspor in overtime.