Virtus Bologna beats Brescia 75-65: Shengelia and Taylor are the protagonists

VIRTUS 75 BRESCIA 65

SEGAFREDO : Taylor 13, Hackett 10, Cordinier 4, Shengelia 15, Zizic 6, Pajola 11, Diouf 4, Morgan 2, Belinelli, Akele 10, Accorsi n. Coach Dusko Ivanovic. GERMANS BRESCIA: Nikola Ivanovic 12, Della Valle 3, Rivers 8, Mobio 2, Bilan 10, Burnell 21, Dowe 7, Cournooh 2, Ferrero, Tonelli ne, Polline ne, Ndour ne. Coach Poeta. Referees: Rossi, Giovannetti, Perciavalle. Footnotes: partial scores 22-21; 39-32; 58-51. Two-pointers: Virtus 16/37; Leonessa 16/30. Three-pointers: 11/27; 7/22. Free throws: 10/13; 12/19. Rebounds: 39; 29.

And now? Smiles and hugs, at the beginning, between Massimo Zanetti and Carlo Gherardi, almost as if it were a handover. Then, on the field, one team. Or almost. Let's be clear, Brescia is not willing to lose, but after having come close to the feat in game one, Peppe Poeta's boys never manage to take the plaque of a Virtus who runs away, pushed by the imp Brandon Taylor. Met with skepticism (for the height?) the imp directs, 'rolls' and has fun.

And when the Virtus he's not having fun then the ball ends up in the hands of Shengelia. Who is supposed to be a winger by profession. But since the fifth match against Venice he has taken on a different role. Toko is the killer. The man on a mission. Or to lift the morale of his teammates when something doesn't work. Whatever you make him do, Toko does it. And, finally, he seems to be one step away from realizing a dream. After three consecutive lost championship finals, Shengelia he wants that little piece of tricolor cloth. He wants it, as captain Belinelli, perhaps to close an extraordinary career in the best possible way. But it is clear that, being the captain, it will be his decision. And his alone. In the meantime, there is a little piece of the future: Payola, 25 years old, reaches the milestone of 500 games on a sweet night for Bologna.

And the match? The Virtus doesn't score a three-point basket? Three triples immediately and first breakaway on 17-11. Brescia overtakes, 20-21 with Burnell (tense stories with Shengelia). Three more overtakes and also a three-point advantage on 29-32, but the Virtus doesn't agree. A triple by Pajola makes it 53-40. Does it seem closed? No, 53-50 in a flash. Reopened? We're not joking. A triple by Akele and the Virtus starts again.

Brescia can't do it, at least this time under the eyes of former Juventus and NBA player Simone Fontecchio. On Tuesday night he will ask his fans for help to reopen the series.