Virtus Bologna beats Venezia 85-74 and returns to second place

Bologna, 2 February 2025 - Not beautiful but solid, not a steamroller but determined, Virtus returns to victory and does so in a challenge that is anything but obvious with Venice.

Ends 85-74 for Dusko Ivanovic's team who, thanks to this success, catches up with Trapani and Brescia in the standings and remaining in the slipstream (-2) of the leader Trento who narrowly beat the Sicilians in the direct clash.

Waiting to finally have it available Justin Holiday complicated on Wednesday with Partizan, much more likely on Friday with Paris or Sunday with Tortona, Virtus presents itself at the Segafredo Arena to face Reyer Venezia in the 18th matchday of Serie A. Marco Belinelli (who has reached his 350th appearance in Serie A) and his teammates is the opportunity to get back on track after last Sunday's defeat in Sassari in the 102nd match between the teams, with Virtus ahead 60-41 in all precedents and 40-10 in matches played at home.

It's the first challenge after the words of president Massimo Zanetti on Wednesday, which sanctioned the split from former CEO Luca Baraldi. At the start of the discussion Ivanovic relies on Hackett, Tucker, Cordinier, Shengelia, Diouf. Challenge at a not very high pace, with a controlled first quarter that only lights up at the end of the quarter.

After a start on balance thread with Cordinier on one side and Ennis on the other to light up their respective attacks, the Frenchman on the way in and then the triples by Pajola and Morgan to deal the first serious blow to the defense of Venice. Break of 8-0 and the first quarter that ends on 21-13 for Virtus.

Venice is brought back immediately down with an initial break 0-6 and with Ivanovic forced to ask for time, with Diouf and Grazulis both struggling with foul problems to stop the Venetian outside players and Kabengele's forays under the basket.

Virtus despite even a small Shengelia's left ankle problem he has the strength to always keep the bar straight, maintaining the lead of the challenge, but also calm and concentration, and so despite a couple of triples by Wiltjer the black and whites close ahead at half time, after having reached +9 on 33-24.

Start of recovery with hit and answer then the inertia seems to return to Virtus' side with Tucker author of 2 baskets on the drive that force Spahija to ask for time.

The elastic of the the gap between the two teams widens and narrows, Wiltjer keeps Reyer close to the match, but Virtus controls and tries to give the decisive push to the match at the beginning of the last fraction of the game.

At 34' the black and whites they also touch +13 at 72-59, but even though they were still ahead in the score, they had the flaw of not being able to close it out before a finale that in the final minutes was no longer a story, to the delight of president Zanetti and the Juventus fans present at the Segafredo Arena.

Virtus will return to the field between Wednesday and Friday for the double home round of Euroleague with Partizan Belgrade and Paris, before facing next sunday Tortona and then follow the Coppa Italia.

The little table

VIRTUS BOLOGNA 85

REYER VENICE 74

VIRTUS SEGAFREDO BOLOGNA: Hackett 6, Tucker 11, Cordinier 10, Shengelia 16, Diouf 13; Belinelli 5, Pajola 4, Grazulis 5, Morgan 15, Polonara, Akele, Visconti ne. Coach Ivanovic.

UMANA REYER VENEZIA: Ennis 15, Wheatle, Parks 12, Wiltjer 20, Kabengele 9; Tessitori 9, McGruder 4, Casarin, Simms 5, Fernandez ne, Janelidze ne, Lever ne. Coach Spahija.

Referees: Attard, Bongiorni, Pepponi.

Notes: partials 21-13, 37-34, 57-53.

Two-pointers: Virtus 22/33; Venice 21/34. Three-pointers: 9/32; 6/25. Free throws: 14/19; 14/19. Rebounds: 31; 37.