Reyer Venezia privateer in Bologna: Neven Spahija predicted everything
Neven Spahija exalts his Reyer Venezia, able to impose itself with the score of 83-91 on the court of Virtus Bologna bringing the playoff series on 1-0. A great result that, according to the words uttered by the orogranata coach at the end of the game, is the fruit of the plan studied with the team during the week and punctually brought to the court against the ‘Black Vu’.
“Against a team of enormous talent, like Virtus Bologna, we did a great job. That’s why I want to congratulate the team, we had a game plan and we managed to stick to it,” Spahija confessed. “Reyer Venezia even found themselves at -11 at one point in the game, however, we never lost our patience and in the end we won. Deservedly so, in my opinion. But now we must remain humble and play the next one as if we were still on 0-0, preserving the mental toughness of tonight, which was among the key elements to win.”
On the other hand, coach Nenad Jakovljevic did not look for alibis and analyzed the defeat with great self-criticism: “We were not aggressive enough, in particular not arriving at the end of the game with the necessary physical and mental strength. In fact, among other things, we gave away too many free throws.” The Serbian coach then pointed out the way forward for the continuation of the series: “Venice punished us often on the counterattack, we need to improve in the pace of the game and in the giropalla when we attack. We need to play our basketball for the entire 40 minutes, which didn’t happen tonight.” Jakovljevic also addressed some of the individuals: “We were not able to impose ourselves for the entire 40 minutes, regardless of the fact that in the final it was Edwards who set the game. In the second half we adjusted the defense on Wiltjer, a very good player, but then we lost our measures with other men.”
Weighing further on Bologna’s ambitions is the absence of Derrick Alston Jr. one of the brightest men in the early stages of the post season. The American, author of an extraordinary performance in Game 1 against Trento with 21 points in just 19 minutes, has undergone surgery for a compound fracture of the third metacarpal of his left hand and his return in this post season is impossible. A huge loss for the ‘Black Vu’s,’ considering that in the regular season he had been traveling at an average of 12.6 points with 57.4 percent from two-point range and 42.4 percent from beyond the arc.
The Reyer’s path to this semifinal, in turn, has been anything but easy. The Orogranata got the better of Derthona Tortona only in the decisive Game 5 at PalaTaliercio, imposing themselves 89-83 after a hard-fought series that tested the team’s energy. Spahija had commented with satisfaction on the passage of the round: “We both showed great quality, I think it was the best playoff series since I’ve been here. We changed a lot, they changed. Are we tough to die? When a team takes so many blows in the season it’s harder, they say in Croatia though that it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.” Words that perfectly capture the spirit of a team accustomed to suffering and fighting back, and that resonate even more meaningfully after tonight’s success at PalaDozza.
Virtus Bologna also experienced a far from serene semifinal eve, after struggling not a little against Trento in the quarterfinals. The Black VUs had gone so far as to risk elimination, finding themselves down 1-2 in the series before reacting with a victory in Game 4 at the BTS Arena, led by Edwards’ 26 points, and then in Game 5 in Bologna. A bumpy path that evidently did not benefit the physical and mental condition of Jakovljevic’s team, and which Reyer was able to exploit with great tactical intelligence in this Game 1 of the semifinals.
