Basketball European Cups: Three Defeats for Bologna, Trento and Sassari

Bologna, 5 February 2025 – Third consecutive defeat for Virtus Segafredo who in the twenty-fifth round of the Euroleague regular season was defeated at home by Partizan Belgrade by 71-81 with the Serbs trying to keep their chances of reaching the play-in alive. On the night of Justin Holiday's debut (ten minutes and no points recorded), Tornike Shengelia's 16 points are not enough to avoid another misstep for Ivanovic's team. The twenty players put together by Sterling brown (shooting 8/13 from the field) redeems the misstep of the first leg when Clyburn (absent along with Zizic) decides with a shot in the final moments. The Bolognese play without fear and even manage to get ahead on more than one occasion, closing the first quarter at 23-17 with Grazulis. Balance will continue to reign supreme with Carlik Jones keeping the Italian defense on tenterhooks, along with Brown who dunks for the +4. The Belgrade defense is skilled in harassing the Virtus maneuver, who is forced to chase Tyrique Jones' plays. Upon returning from the locker rooms, the former Lundberg will seal the maximum advantage from long range at 38-52. Bologna will prepare the comeback that will stop at -4 with the signature of Polonara (65-69). Wet powder for Segafredo with Morgan and Shengelia who miss the appointment with the basket. On the opposite bank, Carlik Jones will put an end to the game from the charity line.

Dolomiti Energia surrenders in Türkiye, Sassari yields to Cholet

In Eurocup, Dolomiti Energia Trentino leaves with a defeat, having been defeated in Istanbul by Besiktas 79-75 on the last day of the regular season. The Turks placed fifth in the Group A standings and gained access to the playoffs. Coach Paolo Galbiati's Bianconeri suffered their twelfth defeat in the tournament, closing with only six victories. The start saw Aquila play substantially on par with Jordan Ford, who kept his team on a streak of 12-9 thanks to his accuracy in free throws. The home team had Derek Needham as the top scorer of the evening with 17 points. The former Reggio Emilia guard was the one who brought about the first breakaway in the first quarter when he bulged the net from long range at the buzzer (22-15). L'Aquila tries to stay in the slipstream but on the other side Arslan and Sleva make the break that gives a double-digit advantage to the roster coached by Dusan Alimpijevic who runs away to 34-23. Thus began a crackling tug-of-war between the two sides between the first and second half with Besiktas running ahead, chased by Trento who came back with a series of breaks signed by Bayehe and the usual Ford who was worth the nine points of disadvantage with about a minute to go in the third quarter. The match remained lively even in the final when eight points on the Lamb – Ford axis reduced the gap to just one possession (74-72 at 39'). Sleva and Needham closed the accounts with the five decisive points for the final victory. Another misstep for Banco di Sardegna Sassari who lost to Cholet at Palaserradimigni in the Fiba Eurocup in the sixth and final round of Group L of the Second Round. The league leaders prevail 75-78 after leading the match for the entire forty minutes. MVP is Mohamed Diawara who scored thirteen points with 5/8 overall shooting. The islanders start off on the right foot with a 9-0 partial. Diawara and Mcneace turn the inertia in favor of the transalpines who remain in command until Veronesi gives them the temporary advantage before Campbell turns everything around with the victory bomb.