Time's up, the alarm rings for Holiday. Ivanovic looks for Virtus for the grand finale

Confirmations and valid alternatives. Waiting for the recovery of Will Clyburn, Virtus relies on its certainties and on the growth of the group for this decisive phase of the season. If on one hand Shengelia, Cordinier and Pajola, but also Akele, Diouf and Grazulis have returned from the national commitments with high morale and can represent the cornerstones or, in the case of Akele, valid alternatives to whom to give space and trust in the future, on the other hand in Virtus they are trying to find new balances between the return of Zizic and inserting Holiday.

There is no doubt that a good part of the race title, which will start on Sunday with the challenge against theA7 Armani Milano and which will be preceded tomorrow by the comparison of Euroleague against the league leaders Olympiacos Piraeus, also starting with the veterans Hackett and Belinelli, with a finally proactive Tucker, with the recovery of Zizic, who, even if with limited autonomy, will be available to the coach tomorrow Dusko Ivanovic and the addition of Justin Holiday.

Arriving as a replacement for Clyburn, Holiday, at almost 36 years of age, entered the Biancoberi environment with the right mentality, aware that this was also an opportunity for him to get back into the game and make himself known, not only in the NBA where he has collected over 700 appearances, winning the ring with Golden State in 2015, but also in Europe where he had played at the dawn of his professional basketball experience.

In fact, the Mission Hills native did not show off his pedigree by humbly entering the black and white environment. Beyond the first two outings in the Euroleague, against Partizan Belgrade and Paris (12' on average, with 1 three-pointer made), but also with just a couple of practices with the team, his performance against Tortona, on February 9 in the championship, was convincing with 14 points in 21 minutes of use in the victory of Casale Monferrato.

His performance in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals against Milan, on February 12, the last match played by Virtus so far, was subdued, with just one point in 17', in what was, to tell the truth, a day to be forgotten for all of Virtus. Experience, but also quality are not lacking in Holiday, from whom a decisive step forward is expected, enough to be able to give a good hand to a Virtus that needs players capable of taking responsibility and shots when the ball starts to get hot. Tomorrow night, but even more so on Sunday against Milan, his contribution will be so fundamental.

The same can be said, albeit in a different formula, for Ante Zizic. The Split native is finally back at Ivanovic's disposal, thus being able to give the Montenegrin coach a valid alternative under the basket to Diouf who is confirming himself as perhaps the best acquisition of the season for the Bianconeri.

Zizic's return allows Ivanovic to be able to vary formations with greater continuity with a true big man, such as the Croatian or Diouf, or more tactical quintets with Shengelia or Grazulis as centers, thus giving greater depth to his battery of big men.