Virtus’ journey in the Scudetto playoffs begins on the right foot, with a 92-80 success against Tortona in game 1 of the quarter-finals. The league leaders impose their strength and home advantage on the eighth-placed team and moves forward immediately, waiting to play Game 2 on Monday evening again at the Segafredo Arena. Prediction respected despite the absence of the feverish Shengelia and despite having to overcome a difficult phase in the second quarter. 18 points from Cordinier are decisive to which are added 16 from Belinelli but what changed the game after the mid-match break were Pajola’s defense and the presence under the basket of Mickey and Dunston.
Tortona raises his head
Virtus lively at the start of the first quarter with Belinelli and Cordinier on top to launch the 20-12 which deceives the Juventus public. Tortona immediately goes back to -3 but the bombs sent by Abass and Lundberg seem to reopen a reassuring gap for the 27-21 with which we crossed the finish line of the first break. With another triple from Pajola and a basket from Abass, the hosts also reached +11 (32-21) at the start of the second quarter but Tortona quickly closed the gap. Two long-range torpedoes from Lundberg aren’t enough because the defense can’t hold anything (27 points conceded in 10 minutes) and so the guests thanked them and overtook: at half-time the score was 44-48.
Virtus returns to the field with a different attitude, ready to show off its best weapons and after 3′ it is once again level at 52 and then tries to escape on +7 thanks to a finally level defense that launches the counterattack and a convincing contribution of Mickey and Dunston on both sides of the game.
The decisive shoulder
Tortona no longer understands anything, the Bianconeri regain the double-digit lead at 65-54, also confirmed at the last interval (68-56). The fourth period sees Virtus attempt to push forward a couple of times before making the decisive push that brings them to +16 at mid-period with points from Lundberg. Tortona manages to get back to -9 but Belinelli takes care of extinguishing their hopes early. An overall positive start to the playoffs for Virtus who, however, immediately forgot the result in the locker room given that the second match is already looming, a great opportunity to try to shorten the series and save your strength. Last year taught us that in the race for the championship every ounce of energy can ultimately prove decisive.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Bertram Derthona Tortona 92-80
Partial: 27-21; 44-48; 68-56
VIRTUS: Cordinier 18, Lundberg 15, Belinelli 16, Pajola 4, Mascolo ne, Lomazs ne, Hackett 5, Mickey 6, Polonara 7, Zizic 4, Dunston 8, Abass 9. All: Banchi
TORTONA: Zerini 5, Ross 9, Dowe 11, Candi 2, Tavernelli, Errica ne, Strautins 10, Baldasso 15, Kamagate, Obasohan 9, Weems 9, Radosevic 10. All: De Raffaele
Referees: Attard, Bartoli, Galasso
Field goals: Bo 32/65 (9/25 from three), To 31/67 (8/30 from three)
Free throws: Bo 19/23, To 10/15
Rebounds: Bo 40, To 33
Assists: Bo 22, To 18
