Virtus routs Varese, Luca Banchi praises defense

The words of Luca Banchi

Luca Banchi, coach of Virtus Bologna, commented in a press conference on the victory over Varese: "A game played with good intensityà by both teams where we were able to keep a high concentration regime. Varese’s offensive potential è certainly served to create a sense of d’urgency to play a game in the defensive half of the court with a high profile, I think we were also able in the second 20 minutes to grow in level despite those first two minutes a bit’ wretched where neither in offense nor defense we were able to approach the game with the usual concentration".

"Then forò we collected a series of important defensive possessions – he added – also finding with good continuityà and lucidityà balance between the perimeter danger and the inside game, especially with the Belinelli-Zizic axis, but I think above all there is to be emphasized, as mentioned, the defensive game. I think in the last 18 minutes there were 21 points conceded, so it means that you made an important effort and we were able to force them to low percentage shots"

"I also think that in the arc of the game it is difficult to keep that pace that maybe in the first twenty minutes sometimes even with some of our mistakes, but also because of their qualities, they were able to find. Then slowly the game è became moreù on the half court but above all è it was important for us in offense to find balance, good execution, becauseé this allowed us to set well the rhythm of our game".

"The ball è moved pretty well, not perfectly but pretty well. We built good shots and that you know allows you to have more balance. Ante’s size also helped near the iron to gain some valuable second possessions" concluded Banchi.