Derby Preview: Manager Calls for 40-Minute Performance

A European derby to start the new year, from Bologna. Olimpia faces Virtus for the third time this season on the strength of the two previous victories but those were all obtained in Milan and in championship format, therefore with a maximum of six foreigners and one of these was achieved after extra time while the other was an unusual defensive battle won by Olimpia scoring 74 points, a rare fact. This time we play in Bologna, where Virtus is 6-2 in the EuroLeague, beaten only by Hapoel Tel Aviv and Olympiacos with a total of eight points. Olimpia has won four times away from home, a good pace, but has lost the last two matches played away, in Baskonia and Dubai. The Bologna match closes the first half of the regular season. Afterwards, in fact, the sprint towards the post-season will begin. Olimpia is one win away from the post-season and is preceded in the standings by four teams with which it won the direct clash. Even if the calendar now requires two difficult away games – after Bologna, there will be Panathinaikos Athens at OAKA -, Olimpia will then play five out of six home games (the exception is Madrid), all direct clashes, with Efes, Red Star, Zalgiris, Partizan, Baskonia. In fact, the month of January will be crucial in determining Olimpia’s seasonal destiny. In Bologna, the injury situation does not change compared to the last few outings as Leandro Bolmaro (10.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this season) is not yet ready to return to Coach Poeta’s disposal. The opponent also has difficulties to overcome because Carsen Edwards – the player who takes more three-pointers than any other, 7.8 on average – missed the match in Trieste due to injury. In any case, Virtus is a team that is 15th in points scored (82.3) but second in assists (20.3), a sign that it manages to be incisive when it moves the ball and when its play-builders create for their teammates. Olimpia itself needs ball movement to trigger its shooters: at the moment with 39.2% from the arc it is first in three-point shooting, with seven men above 40%, including Pippo Ricci and Zach LeDay, the two power forwards.

NOTE – Virtus Bologna-Olimpia Milano will be played on Friday 2 January at 8.30pm at the Virtus Arena in Bologna, live on Sky Sport.

THE REFEREES – Miguel Angel Perez (Spagna), Carlos Cortes (Spagna), Sergio Silva (Portogallo).

COACH PEPPE POETA – “Bologna travels at a top-of-the-table pace on their own pitch: with the field factor and a strong defensive identity they have built their record. We will have to express a balanced attack so as not to allow Virtus to run and turn on their fans. Furthermore, it will be important to do a defensive job that limits their attacking rebounds and does not grant second opportunities because they are very effective in exploiting them. In general, we are aware that we will need a solid and constant match in performance for 40 minutes, as always when playing on such difficult pitches.”

The duel of the bombers

VIRTUS BOLOGNA OUTLOOK – Compared to the team that won the last championship, it lost some key players such as Tornike Shengelia, Will Clyburn, Marco Belinelli (who retired) and Isaia Cordinier. However, Luca Vildoza, Carsen Edwards, Saliou Niang, Abramo Canka, Derrick Alston, Karim Jallow, Alen Smailagic and Aliou Diarra have arrived. The point guard is the Argentine Luca Vildoza, a highly experienced player who has played in the EuroLeague with Baskonia, Red Star, Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. Currently, he is scoring 6.7 points and dishing out 4.8 assists per game while shooting 38.1% from three. Guard Carsen Edwards was the leading scorer in the EuroLeague last year at Bayern Munich. He also previously played for Fenerbahce. This year he is scoring 17.7 points per game. Matt Morgan, in his second season in Bologna, is scoring 12.9 points per game, shooting 62.5% from two and 38.6% from three. Brandon Taylor, a small but very fast point guard, has played little so far, only 6.3 minutes per game. Alessandro Pajola, one of the most respected defenders in Europe, is producing 3.7 points and 4.3 assists per game. Finally, Daniel Hackett ensures his usual contribution of energy, defense and experience (1.8 points and 2.1 rebounds on average). Among the wings, Saliou Niang – making his EuroLeague debut – is scoring 6.4 points per game with 72.3% from two thanks to his extraordinary physical power. Additionally, he pulls down 4.1 rebounds per game. Karim Jallow in 24.1 minutes on the field scored 7.1 points on average but with great precision, 64.9% from two, 45.5% from three. Power forward Derrick Alston is a strong forward who opens the court thanks to a lethal outside shot as indicated by his 57.5% three-point shooting which gives him 7.5 points per game. Nicola Akele completes the department, averaging 27 points and 2.4 rebounds. The centers are Momo Diouf, Italian national team, Aliou Diarra, Mali national team, and Alen Smailagic, Serbian with various experiences in the EuroLeague. Diouf scores 7.5 points and grabs 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 58.2% from two. Smailagic, who also plays as a power forward, contributes 8.6 points and 2.6 rebounds on average but is also dangerous when shooting from outside (42.0% from three). Diarra scores 2.9 points and grabs 1.8 rebounds per game, but is 18 of 23 from two overall.

The Men in the Middle

THE PREVIOUS VS. BOLOGNA – The previous record between these two teams is 126-97 for Olimpia. The overall count includes the matches played in the EuroLeague (4-5), in the Italian Cup (4-4), in the Super Cup (3-3). Olimpia and Virtus have faced each other five times in the championship final: Virtus prevailed in 1984 (2-1) and in 2021 (4-0); Olimpia has won on the last three occasions (4-2 in 2022; 4-3 in 2023; 3-1 in 2024). In the playoffs they met 42 times, the score being 21-21, and 6-5 counting only the series. This year the two teams faced each other in the Super Cup semi-final at the beginning of the season with Olimpia winning 93-86 after extra time (23 points from Shavon Shields) and then again in Serie A with Olimpia also winning 74-63 with 23 points from Armoni Brooks.

THE BOLOGNA CONNECTION – Giampaolo Ricci played for Virtus Bologna for two seasons, winning the 2021 scudetto as Captain. Daniel Hackett played in Milan for two years, winning the 2014 scudetto. As a player, Peppe Poeta played for Virtus Bologna for three seasons.

The battle of the creators