In the Masnago show, Virtus wins and Varese convinces – Varesenoi.it

Openjobmetis streak of consecutive victories stops at five. The absence of Reyes is felt, and a lot, stopped in the warm-up by a knee injury (a meniscus problem is feared).

Virtus raises its voice with its champions and largely agrees to play the game that Varese likes. There are 100 points scored by the red and white against a team that conceded 67 on average (quota reached by Brase’s boys at the end of the third quarter).

Varese has the merit of always holding on to the match thanks to a 27-point Brown, Jaron Johnson and a Colbey Ross still limited, in the first half, by fouls.

Virtus makes Varese pay for the smaller physical tonnage and relies on Belinelli’s bombs, Teodosic’s assists (14) and Jaiteh’s double double from 15 to 11.

The record

4° quarto

Varese restarts from -10, a gap that remains unchanged after the baskets of Jaiteh and Johnson. Here is Lundberg with the triple of +13, a triple scored shortly after also by Markel Brown. Ross makes 2/2 and Varese is again at -7: 77-84. Jaiteh misses an easy support, which Ross doesn’t do on an assist from Owens. Inertia is on Varese’s side and Virtus is timeout at 79-84. Belinelli’s class unlocks the Bolognese and immediately after Brown rebounds for another two points. Triple by Belinelli after a clumsy turnover by Varese. Beli himself scores on the shot-24 siren, but Woldetensae keeps Varese there with a three-point game: 84-91 with 5 minutes to go. Jaiteh scores with the tap-in and Belinelli “is as hot as a stove”. Now Virtus seems to be in complete control, but Varese holds on to the game with Ross’s 2+1 for -11: 89-100 with three minutes to go. the latest assault from Varese begins with Brown’s triple of -8, but it is always Belinelli who dampens the red and white enthusiasm with his triple off-balance. De Nicolao also puts it in from outside, then Belinelli makes a mistake but Jaiteh is always there under the scoreboards to make up for it: it’s 95-105 with a minute and a half to go. Ross’s free throws, Mickey’s basket + foul and Brown’s 2+1 set the final score at 100-108.

3° quarto

Cordinier unlocks the result with a fade away. Varese you can’t find the basket, Weems triples and Virtus is ahead by 14. The ball doesn’t spin much for Varese, meanwhile Weems scores again and Jaiteh protects his basket well. More mistakes from outside for the red and white, and on the other side Teodosic paints assists with his class: Cordinier’s triple makes it 47-66 and Brase is forced to stop the game with 7:03 on the clock. Jaiteh also scores before Ross’s triple which closes the Bolognese 12-0 run. Two steals in a row are worth the dunks first by Johnson and then by Brown (who performs a 360): at 54-68 it is Scariolo who calls timeout. Brown triples, to which Cordinier replies. De Nicolao stops Jaiteh with the hard way, but the referees decide that he is not unsportsmanlike after consulting the replay. Cordinier blocks Ross’s triple and Varese loses the way to the basket. Ross finds it again with a penetration, but Mickey draws a basket and fouls which brings Virtus to +16, which now seems to be definitely in control of the match. Caruso believes it: he scores, stops and goes back to the other side for a 2+1. Woldetensae also believes in it as he snatches a ball in defense and serves Ferrero for the triple which however goes off on the rim. Varese has little ability to rebound against the Bolognese big men: it’s Mickey’s turn again. The triple was instead scored by Librizzi who brought Varese back to a single digit disadvantage in the last minute of the game. Pajola makes 1/2 free throws, Librizzi stubbornly loses it and the quarter ends with Ferrero’s 0/2 from the line: 69-79.

2° quarto

Camara stops Librizzi, before grabbing the rebound in attack and scores a free throw for Virtussino’s +9. Brown forces an average shot but immediately after Woldetensae scores Varese’s first triple of the match. Nice save by Librizzi, and Varese can run to support Woldetensae’s glass: Scariolo calls the timeout on 25-29. Belinelli’s back door that takes Ferrero by surprise, but now Varese also scores from outside: it’s Brown’s turn. Classic triple out of balance again by Belinelli and nailed by Owens. Back and forth stopped by Brase’s timeout on 30-36 at 6:36 from the interval. Beli’s hand is very warm and scores again from outside. Stolen and triple by Woldetensae which is worth the red and white -6. Brown takes a breakthrough and then nails a great dunk in the open field. Virtus does not disdain the high rhythms that Varese likes: Belinelli supports two and Teodosic with two free throws bring Viruts to +10, corrected to +8 by Ross’s layup, but corrected to +11 by Cordinier’s triple: 39-50 . Ross runs and attacks the area: he scores two free throws before Varese recovers another ball, runs away on the counterattack with Brown who suffers the unsportsmanlike action from Mickey. Three free throws bring the red and white back to -6 at 44-50 and Owens takes a breakthrough. Ross also spends the third foul when there is one minute left until the long interval, Mannion makes 2/2 from the line and Camara near the basket hurts Varese again. Mannion comes in with the bike and alleey-oop De Nicolao-Johnson ends the first half at 47-56.

1° quarto

Classic red and white quintet with Owens playing along and Ross, Brown, Johnson and Woldetensae around; Virtus with Teodosic, Mannion, Cordinier, Weems and Jaiteh in the top five. Teodisic shows that he’s there and opens the game with an alley-oop for Cordinier and a support on the glass. Varese misses four 3-pointers at the start, and breaks the deadlock with Johnson on the counterattack for 2-6. Attack a little firm for the red and white, while Teodosic also lets Mannion score from three and Jaiteh shows his muscles in offensive rebounds. Owens dunk on Woldtensae set the result at 6-13. Johnson scores again, but Mannion shoots another triple before Owens’ circus shot that is worth a 2+1, before giving way to Caruso, who immediately corrects Brown’s error to make it 13-18. Doubtful second foul for Ross, who is replaced by Librizzi. Blocked by Caruso which however is picked up by Jaiteh, who is however aimed at the other side by an enterprising Willy who makes 1/2 free throws: 14-20. Virtus seems to accept Varese’s pace, while De Nicolao enters the game with a nice serpentine. He scores Pajola (who repeatedly attacks Librizzi in a low position) and Johnson scores again: 20-24 with one minute remaining in the first fraction. Mickey is also there to rebound under the red and white basket, while Varese misses the seventh triple out of seven attempted and Camara scores the two free throws. Woldetensase’s triple on the siren doesn’t even hit the iron: first quarter closed on 20-28.

Varese-Virtus: Justin Reyes will not be in Matt Brase’s team. The Puerto Rican was injured – by himself – during the warm-up. Knee problem: there are fears of involvement of the meniscus.

Ball at two o’clock 19.