Virtus, Shengelia effect. The Georgian's stop gave the team a boost

The Virtus of Dusko Ivanovich closes 2024 with two consecutive victories between Euroleague and championship and from what we have seen in recent weeks the team is finding its identity. The stop of Toko Shengelia – the big man should return on January 10th for the home game against Baskonia – had the effect of putting the other players who could potentially be points of reference against the wall and everyone responded by emerging from the quagmire of contradictions into which they had sunk.

Thanks to a different management of rotations and an identical attitude towards those who make a mistake, the Montenegrin coach has put every element of the roster in confidence and at that point he was able to ask each one to make an extra effort in defense. The result is that a team with notable offensive talent spends itself effectively when it has to contain the opponent's game and if this dynamic is consolidated game after game then the Black V will have reached the turning point.

The situation in Euroleague it is largely compressed with the black and whites going to Athens on Friday to the lair of Panathinakos and only the arithmetic keeps alive the hopes of reaching that tenth place that is worth entering the play-in while in Serie A things are going slightly differently.

On Sunday Segafredo is expected in Reggio Emilia, but the most important fact is that thanks to the victory against Scafati it is certain to participate in the final eight of the Italian Cup which will be held in Turin from 12 to 16 February.

Winning this trophy is one of the objectives, so in a busy schedule it wouldn't be so wrong to manage your energy in such a way as to arrive in the best possible way to this appointment. Winning at the PalaBigi would secure fourth place at the end of the first half of the season, while to climb another step you should look at what Trapani will do.

In the meantime, the club has opened ticket offices for the matches against Baskonia (10 January), Napoli (12), Cremona (20), Monaco (23) and Venezia (2 February).

For the three Serie A matches, a special package is available with a dedicated price. This is the package 'Rizzoli Foundation' which aims to donate a third of the proceeds to support the 'Do.PO Fund', which finances the purchase of highly technological prostheses for patients who have suffered serious amputations.