Virtus Bologna defeated by Maccabi Tel Aviv: it's the eighth consecutive defeat in Euroleague

Belgrade (Serbia), 20 March 2025 - The Virtus also falls on neutral Belgrade with the Maccabi Tel Aviv for 77-67 and suffers the eighth consecutive defeat in the Euroleague. Ahead for the first 15 minutes of play, Dusko Ivanovic's team melts in front of a Maccabi that is not transcendental but certainly more solid than an evanescent Virtus that loses its compass too soon and that slowly sinks giving the image of a physically and mentally drained team. The defeat in Naples seems to have taught nothing to Marco Belinelli and his teammates who fall into the same mistakes as last Sunday. The only good news of the day for the Black Vs is the Will Clyburn's return to the court, for the rest it was yet another challenge to forget.

At Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, Virtus takes the field without the injured Diouf, but with Will Clyburn back at his disposal. After two and a half months from the injury to the plantar fascia, the former Efes player is finally back at his disposal, while in addition to Visconti, Ivanovic leaves Holiday in the stands for a choice that, after the 40 minutes on the bench in Naples, seems like a definitive rejection for the Californian.

Clyburn then not only in the 12, but immediately a starter together with Hackett, Cordinier, Shengelia and Zizic. Virtus starts off on the right foot, taking the lead 0-5 and then 2-12 at 5'. Maccabi slowly comes back to -2, on 15-17 with which the first quarter ends. The elastic of the gap continues to lengthen and shorten, with the Virtus always ahead, until the 15th minute when Sorkin scores on the layup for 27-27 and on the next play Jokubaitis puts Tel Aviv ahead. Maccabi reaches its maximum lead of the first half at +9 on 42-33 with which the first half ends.

Upon resumption of play, Maccabi immediately reaches double figures of advantage sinking to -16 on 49-33 and with Ivanovic forced to ask for time after 2'30” and a partial of 7-0 immediately. Finally Virtus also breaks the deadlock, but Maccabi always keeps control of the match with great ease and retouches the maximum advantage, with Virtus sinking to -22 on 65-43 and even to -24 on 71-47. Game, set and match with Virtus that lowers the bank flag too much, too early and that now awaits the away match on Saturday evening in Trieste in the championship.  

The little table

MACCABI TEL AVIV 77 VIRTUS BOLOGNA 67 MACCABI TEL AVIV: Clark III 14, Shayol 5, Minco 5, Sorkin 12, Mayer ne, Rayman 7, Dibartolomeo 5, Cohen, Jokubaitis 19, Blatt, Williams 10. All. Kattash. VIRTUS BOLOGNA: Cordinier 6, Belinelli 5, Pajola, Clyburn 13, Shengelia 7, Hackett 2, Grazulis 2, Morgan 4, Polonara 15, Zizic 11, Akele 2, Tucker. All. Ivanovic. Referees: Mogulkoc, Latisevs, Vyklicky. Notes: partials 15-17, 42-33, 65-45. Two-pointers: Maccabi 19/36; Virtus 20/41. Three-Pointers: 7/23; 6/33. Free Throws: 18/22; 9/14. Rebounds: 43; 41.