Virtus overwhelmed in Trent, Jakovljevic: "Confrontation in locker room"

Virtus Bologna one step away from elimination. The Italian champions were beaten 102-85 in Game 3 in Trento: Aquila basketball, which finished eighth in the regular season, brought the series to 2-1 and is one win away from qualifying for the Serie A playoff semifinals. The hosts got off to a strong start by dominating the first half, which ended 51-38; in the second half they got as high as +26, then managed the game’s final stretch. Steward’s 21 points and Jogela’s 18; for Virtus the best was Niang with 17 points. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, also in Trento at 5 p.m.

Coach Nenad Jakovljevic expressed himself this way after the heavy knockout: “I congratulate Trento, which deserved it very much. We have to file right away and think about the next game, where we will have a chance to show who we really are. Defiance after game 1? Surely something happened, we have to resolve it among ourselves within the four walls of the locker room, we have to tell it like it is. And they are not good.”

On the choices: “Ferrari out in the first half? We wanted to make a defensive choice with Jallow, then when we saw that we had conceded over 50 points we needed to score.”

“I remain optimistic, I never give up. We never give up and we will do everything to win, we have a sacred duty to society. Edwards on the bench at the end: “Both technical choice and to spare him.”