Baskonia shows character, throws out Virtus and meets Real Madrid in the playoffs

The Buesa Arena vibrated with the 89-77 favorable to its players

MADRID, 19 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Baskonia has qualified this Friday for the quarterfinals of the Euroleague thanks to its 89-77 victory over Virtus Bologna, in a duel played at the Fernando Buesa Arena and which, from the third period, has developed to taste of Baskonista base Markus Howard.

The last ‘play-in’ option passed through Vitoria and the local team wanted to take advantage of it. Everyone knew that the winner of this match, played in a single match, already had the reservation made to face Real Madrid in the ‘playoffs’, but to think about it was to anticipate events.

So the start was dog-faced, with two players taking center stage. Marco Belinelli opened the scoring with a triple and a particular tally of 10 points in a row, answered by two triples from Tadas Sedekerskis, who scored 11 of the first 13 Baskonista points.

Precisely a former baskonista, Tornike Shengelia, closed the gap, but Matt Costello scored another triple to make it 16-12. Led by Isaia Cordinier, Virtus prevented Markus Howard from getting into the game early and thus came close, even closing the first quarter ahead (21-22) following a ‘bomb’ by Iffe Lundberg at the horn.

Lundberg himself stretched the Italian team (26-29) starting the second quarter, but then Costello also stood out in defense and encouraged Baskonia to make a 7-0 run. Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos had taken over the local team’s scoring from beyond the arc, to which Daniel Hackett responded with long-range successes for Virtus.

Every movement on the court fueled Howard to attempt three-pointers, as Codi Miller-McIntyre seemed subdued. And among the visitors, Lundberg and Hackett still had the upper hand to keep the duel tied at half-time (41-41), which suited the Vitorian team great.

Despite failing three consecutive attacks, Dusko Ivanovic’s team did not despair and Howard boosted, with two triples, a 12-0 run that lifted the Buesa Arena. The Alava advantage reached +13 (63-47) with 3:02 left to settle the third period, thanks to two new triples from a Howard who was in ‘clutch’ mode for the umpteenth time.

Shengelia put an injured Virtus on her back, as Luca Banchi couldn’t find solutions from his bench. Belinelli had nailed his first quarter score and Hackett was no longer a threat after the break. On Baskonia’s part, Sedekerskis and especially Rogkavopoulos shined in rebound captures, while in attack Miller-McIntyre punished where Howard did not.

With the 30th minute running out with 72-57 on the pavilion’s electronic scoreboard, more than half a ticket to the playoffs was Baskonista’s. But it remained to be sealed against an adversary in whose ranks Lundberg was briefly resurrected. In addition, Achille Polonara opened his account with a frontal triple, so Ivanovic’s team did not let its guard down.

Two long baskets by Costello, both with assists from Howard, were later combined with a triple by Sedekerskis. The game was 85-70, with 4:44 remaining and the intensity dropped a bit due to a referee stoppage after a foul committed by Costello.

After a harmless exchange of baskets for the Alaves, another stoppage made the Buesa Arena nervous, in the middle of the referee’s review of a throw-in when there was 2:31 left on the clock. Cordinier made up for Belinelli’s collapse at the rival rim and Shengelia shone under both boards; However, a vital free kick was missed.

The Bolognese team reduced their disadvantage to 87-77, although without effective time to bother a Baskonia that showed character. To that he added fortitude in the last possessions of the ball to secure the victory, cheer his numerous fans and officially meet with Real Madrid for a series that will start on April 23 (9:00 p.m.).

DATASHEET.

–RESULT: BASKONIA, 89 – VIRTUS BOLONIA, 77 (41-41, at halftime).

–EQUIPMENT.

BASKONIA: Miller-McIntyre (8), Marinkovic (5), Rogkavopoulos (9), Sedekerskis (16) and Kotsar (4) –starting quintet–; Howard (28), Costello (19), Chiozza (-), Raieste (-) and Díez (-).

VIRTUS BOLOGNA: Hackett (13), Pajola (1), Belinelli (10), Shengelia (16) and Dunston (-) –starting quintet–; Mickey (3), Lundberg (10), Cordinier (10), Dobric (-), Polonara (3), Zizic (4) and Abass (7).

–PARTIALS: 21-22, 20-19, 31-16 and 17-20.

–REFEREES: Belosevic, Difallah and Nedovic. They eliminated Marinkovic in Baskonia due to personal fouls.

–PAVILLION: Fernando Buesa Arena, 10,143 spectators.

2024-04-19 20:28:07
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