Virtus: Daniel Hackett had figured it all out the morning after the game in Milan

Speaking to Sky, Daniel Hackett enthusiastically celebrated Virtus Bologna’s victory with a buzzer-beater against Olympiacos: “We deserved this tonight after the loss that broke our hearts a little at the Forum against Milan. On the bench, we told ourselves that the basketball gods might give us a gift tonight.”

“We got back from Milan at 3 a.m., and by 11:30 a.m. we were already in the gym, fired up and ready to work. It wasn’t a given, and that’s when I realized we’d do well,” the Virtus point guard explained. “Carr made a champion’s shot, driving to the right against McIntyre, who’s a top-notch defender—really tough to beat.”

Coach Alex Mumbrù thanked the fans: “The atmosphere was insane. I just have to say thank you to our fans for how they supported us. In Milan, we struggled after losing at the last second, and tonight our fans gave us the right boost. With our energy, we fought back during the tough moments. We struggled with Olympiacos’s offensive cuts, but as I said in Milan, in basketball sometimes things go your way and other times they don’t.”

“Things went well tonight, and I’m happy for the team, the club, and the fans. I’m here to establish a clear identity and find the right path for growth. We have a lot of young players, but we need balance. I wasn’t furious after those two losses, just as I’m not overjoyed after this win. We have to grow step by step. Today, at times we moved the ball well up the court, but the finish was neck-and-neck. When I arrived here, I said we wanted to make our fans proud, and tonight we did just that, just as we’d already done in Milan.”