EuroCup, Virtus Bologna beats Gran Canaria 70-68

There is once again the mark of defense in the important 70-68 victory of Virtus in the penultimate round of the Eurocup regular season against leaders Gran Canaria. Scariolo’s team, dragged by Hackett (14 points with 5/6), keeps the opponents 37% from the field, thus managing to buffer the miserable 5/20 from three and in a playoff game they come out with the result they wanted to keep the hope to finish in the top four and play at least the round of 16 at home. The matches in Ljubljana and Buducnost today will tell if this victory over the Spaniards is already enough to drop some positions from the fifth in which it was presented at this match.

Leadership Hackett

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Despite a great 13-2 start, born from the fierce defensive intensity fueled by Hackett, Segafredo saw Gran Canaria return and overtake thanks to Ennis (19 points) in the second quarter (31-33). The Spaniards are not group leaders by chance, they have great solidity and never mentally abandon the game. Virtus does not find the way from the arc, but does not give up an inch defensively and triggering Jaiteh and Sampson try a mini extension at the beginning of the last quarter (53-47). The way to the basket, however, remains very complicated on both fronts, Gran Canaria sometimes slips a triple (10/32) and with Shurna he comes back 55-57 with 5 ‘from the end. At that moment Segafredo clings to his character, Weems overtakes from the arc, Hackett plays as leader and 32 “from the end Shengelia – 7 of his 11 total points with 9 rebounds arrive in the last 5 ‘- with the triple stamping the 70- 62 which is partially watered down by Albicy’s two triples in the last five seconds when, however, the game is already gone.

Bologna Hackett 14, Jaiteh 10, Weems 10

Gran Canaria Ennis 19, Balcerowski 12, Shurna 10