Derthona struggles, is beaten by Virtus but qualifies for the playoffs
Bertram Derthona-Virtus Segafredo Bologna 77-84
(18-17, 39-41, 55-65)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Zerini, Ross 11, Dowe 5, Candi, Tavernelli ne, Strautinš 7, Baldasso 4, Severini 3, Obasohan 12, Weems 13, Thomas 12, Radošević 10. Coach De Raffaele
Bologna: Cordinier 11, Belinelli 6, Pajola 5, Dobric, Mascolo 1, Lomazs 3, Shengelia 15, Hackett 11, Polonara 9, Zizic 11, Dunston 4, Abass 8. All. Banchi
First home defeat of 2024 for Bertram Derthona, who for large stretches played on par with Virtus Segafredo Bologna, giving in at the end following the opponent's last partial. The team coached by De Raffaele, despite the defeat, achieved qualification for the playoffs by virtue of the results achieved on other fields and at the end of a long run-up in recent months.
The race started at a high pace for both teams, who found effective solutions at speed: balance reigned supreme for the entire fraction, closed ahead by Bertram by one point (18-17). Virtus begins the second quarter with a 0-10 score favored by Zizic which is worth the lead (18-27), then Bertram, pushed by Ross, places a counter break which leads to parity at 36 with Radošević's tap-in on the free throw missed by Ross himself. At the end the balance remains, Shengelia's basket gives the guests the advantage (39-41).
Upon returning from the locker room, Weems' baskets put Derthona back ahead, before a new attempt by Bologna who, minute after minute, widened their gap to double figures (55-65) at the third siren. Radošević's outburst brings Bertram closer in scoring, but the team coached by Banchi, with great clarity, finds the plays to maintain the lead in scoring. In the competitive final, Derthona found the energy to come back: Weems' triple made it -4 (75-79) in the 38th minute. Polonara and Shengelia then close the match: Bologna wins 77-84.
So coach Walter De Raffaele at the end of the race: “Congratulations to Virtus who, except in the first quarter, were always ahead in terms of scoring. I also congratulate my players, who played a great match, going beyond the clear limits and trying to make up for Severini's injury which seems quite serious. Against these teams you have to be perfect at least in defence: a few times we made mistakes which Bologna systematically punished. However, we were competitive and present despite a team structure that is constantly changing. There remains some bitterness over the defeat, but this does not take away the merits of a superior team. The playoffs are a reward for Doctor Gavio, who together with Ferencz Bartocci and Marco Picchi, is the person who has suffered the most this year. The players must be applauded, because on 26 December no one expected this result, which is a reward for the sacrifices of the team, the staff and the offices who all rowed in the same direction: I believe that this group has achieved a small feat of that we should be proud of".
