Virtus Bologna dominates in Pistoia and consolidates its lead in Serie A

EXTRA 62 VIRTUS BOLOGNA 86

EXTRA : Forrest 20, Della Rosa 8, Saccaggi 4, Benetti 5, Cooke 6; Ceron 4, Paschall 4, Allen 6, Valerio-Bodon 5, Boglio; Santi ne, Stoch ne. All Okorn. SEGAFREDO BOLOGNA: Hackett 6, Cordinier 7, Clyburn 9, Polonara 7, Zizic 17; Holiday 2, Belinelli 6, Pajola 3, Morgan 16, Diouf 11, Akele 2; Shengelia ne. All. Ivanovic. Referees: Bartoli, Gonella, Bartolomeo. Footnotes: partial scores 13-28, 28-49, 46-74. Two-pointers: Pistoia 15/33; Virtus 22/42. Three-pointers: 8/27; 8/20. Free throws: 8/12; 18/20. Rebounds: 32; 38.

All easy, the Virtus PalaCarrara wins in the Easter round Pistoia, scores his fourth consecutive victory and confirms his position at the top of the standings A league. In the tail-end with the Tuscans, the challenge remains in the balance only in the first few minutes, just enough time, at 5-6 for the Black Vs, to see Cordinier, Clyburn and an excellent Zizic shift into high gear and extend their lead. The 12-22 of the 8th minute, followed by the 13-28 of the 10th minute and the 23-47, on the +24 of the 18th minute, testify to the superiority of a Virtus ahead for 40' and in complete control of the challenge, reaching the maximum advantage of +31 on 28-59 at the beginning of the third quarter. Pistoia The team tries to fight, but Gasper Okorn's team can do little and sees the spectre of relegation ever closer.

Inside Virtus Dusko Ivanovic rotates 11 players with great attention, leaving Georgian warrior Toko Shengelia to rest for one evening, who remained on the sidelines to watch his teammates' performance. Virtus even without his totem he is in fact a perfect machine both in attack, where he finds excellent responses from everyone, and in defence where he closes the area well, does not allow counterattacks to Pistoia, drying up the red and white sources of play with an intensity and reactivity that demonstrate the excellent form of the black and whites.

Beyond the statistics, what is impressive is the fluidity of the game expressed by the team, without ever forcing the shot, but always looking for the extra pass to get the free teammate into rhythm. Everything easy then for the Virtus which he has between himself and playoff the last three matches starting with next Sunday's match at the Segafredo Arena against Varese, before the away match in Scafati and the last and probably decisive challenge against Trapani.

Market or no market, the conditions for this end of the season promise well for the Juventus fans who yesterday, due to the ban on away matches, were unable to follow the team to Pistoia.