Virtus Bologna Loses Again; Alex Mumbrù Identifies Two Main Problems

Virtus Bologna was unable to turn things around and suffered another loss in the EuroLeague. After the game against Dubai Basketball, Coach Alex Mumbrù analyzed the team’s performance, focusing particularly on their approach to the game and the difficulties they faced in trying to overcome the deficit.

“We knew tonight’s game would be tough, not only because Dubai is a team aiming for the Final Four and perhaps even something more. We need to get through this tough and difficult stretch. In the first quarter—and especially in the first 4 minutes—we weren’t ready and immediately fell behind by double digits, and we carried that deficit with us until the end of the game. Then in the third quarter we managed to close the gap, but when you’re down by double digits right from the start, it’s very difficult to make a comeback.”

“Was it a physical or mental issue? I think both, because the mental aspect is very important, but tonight it was also a physical issue because that’s how it went from the very beginning. We wanted to play at a different pace, but early on they kept finding the way to the basket, not allowing us to impose our rhythm since we were always forced to defend 5-on-5 against their baskets. We need to be clear about what kind of team we are and understand the strengths we can bring to the table, as well as the skills and characteristics we can utilize to perform at our best.”