euroleague day 30
Virtus Bologna
real Madrid
An unforgettable last quarter from Mario Hezonja, with 18 points in that period alone for a total of 26 (eight threes, his Euroleague record), saw Madrid win against Virtus Bologna led by Sergio Scariolo (79-96). White’s other big stronghold was Yabusele with 24 points.
Madrid started with a quintet full of inches and muscles, with Hanga as the base (the position that has played the most in the White House this season) and the versatile deck as a forward. That physical power made Yabusele the first income for Chu’s Mateo’s team with two bingos from the perimeter (2-10). The French centre, aided by an increasingly better passer Tavares, scored eight of Madrid’s first 12 points, fine on the shot and strong on the rebound. Virtus paid for the disorientation because he didn’t have a Teodosic brain, and what it covered inside stayed outside of the Madrid Group’s artillery, which attacked from all sides. Musa got everything in the basket and the difference in score grew bigger by the minute. Scariolo’s team was briefly saved by the bell because the game was suspended for a few minutes due to a problem with the table clock, but the scenario continued unchanged after the break. Tavares dictated his law under the hoop and in the roulette of changes Hezonja and Abalde added to extend the set to 0-14 and the gap to 6-23. The Italian youth stayed in their bones in the first quarter (12-26).
Chus Mateo had put the emphasis on losing possession, a factor that has condemned the Whites on several dates this season. And the troupe learned the lesson of smearing a collective performance with each piece playing its own score. La Virtus woke up with two flashes from the treble of his veteran captain Marco Belinelli, 36, and the Whites coach sent another scarred soldier, Rudy Fernández, 37, out to handcuff the shooter. It was a duel from another time. In between, Hezonja managed to respond with two more long-range goals (23:38) and a block against Mannion after losing the ball. Belinelli, to you. The Italian had a hot hand, although the bodywork isn’t what it was before and Scariolo had to give him a break on the bench. The game had entered one of those stretches with very tight defenses and sanctuary for both teams on the outside court. The home side took advantage of the uproar to get closer at 8-0. The Arreón was stopped by Rudy with a recovery against Shengelia and a distant three, reflecting the striker’s color change and his intelligence to adapt to the circumstances. When he can no longer attack the basket with the physical strength he used to, he uses his great knowledge of the game to find a tile from which to hurt the opponent. Scariolo knows it better than anyone who has guided him in so many fights for the national team. Led by Rudy, defender, goalscorer and assistant, Madrid reached the break with little Virtus in the rear-view mirror (33-50), completed by a Yabusele three from his zone. The 17 points were the biggest deficit of the game.
The rejuvenated Belinelli’s fourth three encouraged Virtus to face a very steep recovery. Brave Shengelia also pitched in, and a loss to Hanga boosted the Segafredo Arena stands (43-52). There was one more game in Bologna. Madrid needed to restart the revolutions and Yabusele connected the key. The center did well with his off-deck and Tavares moves. Virtus toyed with the 10-point psychological barrier while the Whites didn’t expand their income any further because they missed free throws, especially Deck. Virtus slipped through this rift to return to combat, fueled by the individual actions of Shengelia, then heir to Belinelli (55-62). Rudy returned to the court and balls passed through the hands of Yabusele and Tavares (58-68 at the end of the third quarter).
And suddenly Hezonja. As in Monaco, the Croatian striker entered one of those rapturous periods where he turns every possession into gold. Madrid started the final third on a 6-15 run and the 15 white points were the work of Super Mario, unstoppable from the three, devastating. Madrid rocketed towards a 20-point lead (66-86), so much higher that the surprise was Hezonja’s failure at the limit. After many matches with very tight ends, this time the result was child’s play for the Whites. Time for Hezonja to equal his record Euroleague treble (eight) and round off an anthological fourth final.
Valencia, meanwhile, lost to Monaco 90-79 and faltered in their attempt to finish in the top eight. Chris Jones (17 points) was the Spanish team’s top scorer.
VIRTUS, 79; R. MADRID, 96
Virtus Bologna: Mannion (4), Lundberg (0), Weems (3), Shengelia (10), Jaiteh (4) —starting crew—; Belinelli (26), Bako (9), Hackett (5), Mickey (0), Ojeleye (18) and Abass (0).
Real Madrid: Hanga (2), Musa (8), Deck (11), Yabusele (24), Tavares (6) —Starting Crew—; Rudy (6), Abalde (7), Hezonja (26), Sergio Rodríguez (4), Poirier (2) and Cornelie (0).
Partially: 12-26, 21-24, 25-18 and 21-28.
Referee: Hordov, Nikolic, and Shemmesh. No deleted.
Virtus Segafredo Arena.
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