Virtus Bologna, three interesting young people in the crosshairs

Virtus Bologna active on two fronts: while coach Nenad Jakovljevic’s team is focusing on the playoffs, the management and general manager Paolo Ronci are working and planning next season’s roster.

According to reports in Il Resto del Carlino, the Bologna club wants to continue the green line policy, following the arrivals of Saliou Niang in 2025 and Francesco Ferrari: in the crosshairs in particular are three young prospects.

On Virtus’ list is Davide Casarin, class of 2003 this year at Vanoli Cremona, who grew up basketball at Reyer Venezia with experience already in Treviso and Cremona; Octavio Maretto class of 2004, a guard of Argentine origin but Italian passport, who plays in Pesaro; and Assane Sankare, class of 2007, an Italian wing of Senegalese origin now in Rimini.

These are the times and dates of the first three games of the quarterfinals of the LBA playoffs of the V Nere:
G1 Virtus Olidata Bologna-Dolomiti Energia Trentino, Sunday, May 17, 7 p.m.
G2 Virtus Olidata Bologna-Dolomiti Energia Trentino, Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m.
G3 Dolomiti Energia Trentino-Virtus Olidata Bologna, Friday, May 22 at 8 p.m.

On the departure front, Virtus will have to deal with the farewell of Saliou Niang, who will leave Italy to land in the NCAA with the LSU Tigers, snatching a contract worth about $5 million gross with clauses up to $7 million. The Bolognese club will collect half a million dollars from the transfer, but it loses one of the talents it had focused on the most: the 2004 class, chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers at the 2025 NBA Draft, had chosen to stay another year in Bologna to continue to grow, playing a season of the highest level. It will be Francesco Ferrari himself who will be the first to pick up the baton of the young azure in the rotations of the V Nere.