Olimpia-Virtus in Euroleague, Coach Messina: Defense and offensive balance are going to be crucial

Olimpia Milan and Virtus Bologna met each other in the EuroLeague for the first and last time in 1997, but they are very familiar since they played 16 times over a two-year span in Italy with a 8-8 record. They faced each other already once this season, in the Supercup semifinal, in Brescia (a Virtus win). But the big difference is that for the first they will be able to use their full rosters, with no limits to the foreigners allowed to play. For Olimpia, it doesn’t change much, to be honest, because Shavon Shields and Billy Baron are both out with injuries, and Gigi Datome is a late scratch for flu-like symptoms. In this regard, Virtus is healthier since Awudu Abass is the only one out while everybody else recovered included Toko Shengelia. Both teams are coming off home losses in the EuroLeague, Olimpia was defeated by Real Madrid, Virtus was beaten by Asvel Villeurbanne. Bologna is 2-4 overall, 1-2 on the road; Olimpia is an impressive 3-1 on the road, but it still has to win one in Mediolanum Forum. Both teams are also coming two wins in the Italian league. Tip-off time is 20:30 on Wednesday, November 9th.

REFEREES – Dani Hierrezuelo (Spain), Emin Mogulkoc (Turkey), Uros Obrknezevic (Serbia)

COACH ETTORE MESSINA – "We face an excellent team, a team built with playoffs’ aspirations. Raising the level of our defense in order to control the rebounds and find the right balance between shooting from inside and from three-point range will be a fundamental aspect to try to be good at this high level. Obviously playing without Shields, Baron and unfortunately Datome will be tough, but we have complete trust for the guys that will play more and will help us."

NICOLO’ MELLI – "It is a difficult game, we are fully aware of that, we are coming from two straight EuroLeague losses and this is further reason to try to get back on a winning track and win the first home game of our season. Generally speaking, it is a positive sign that after so many years a totally Italian game is going to be played on a EuroLeague stage. This is an event worthy of celebration. We’ll try to do whatever it takes to get the win."

VIRTUS BOLOGNA – Compared to the past season, the newcomers are Iffe Lundberg, a Danish from CSKA Moscow and the Phoenix Suns, Semi Ojeleye, who played 284 games in the NBA for several teams, the last one the Los Angeles Clippers, Jordan Mickey, who spent last year in San Petersburg playing along Billy Baron, the Belgian international Ismael Bako, plus the power forward Leo Menalo, and the center Gora Camara. Lundberg is the team leading scorer with 11.5 points per game. Jordan Mickey is the most used player, at around 26 minutes (6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game), slightly more than Semi Ojeleye (8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game). In the starting line-up are always featured Mam Jaiteh (7.8 points per game, 61.4 percent from the field) and Daniel Hackett (5.8 points and 3.2 assists per game, 38.9 percent from three). Toko Shengelia returned to the during the last round, following a shoulder injury. Also, big part of the rotation are: Kyle Weems (7.2 points with 73.9 percent from twos), Alessandro Pajola (who is averaging 2.3 steals per game over 19 minutes), Isma Bako (8.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 62.8 percent from tws in 15 minutes) and of course Milos Teodosic (8.8 points and 4.0 assists per game in 14 minutes). Isaia Cordinier and Marco Belinelli are around 10 minutes per game on the court.

VIRTUS CONNECTION – Giampaolo Ricci has played in Bologna for two seasons, winning the 2021 Italian league championship as Captain. Daniel Hackett has played in Milano for two years, winning the 2014 Italian championship. Awudu Abass has played two seasons in Milano, from 2017 to 2019, winning the 2018 Italian championship and twice the Italian Supercup. However, he is injuried and won’t be able to play. Ettore Messina has been part of Virtus Bologna since 1983/84 when he was an assistant coach to Alberto Bucci when Virtus won the Italian league defeating Olimpia in the championship series. He became head coach before the 1989/90 season and stayed there until 1992/93. He returned in 1997 and stayed until 2002. With Virtus, he has won the Euroleague twice 81998 and 2001), the Cup of Cups’ winners in 1990, three times he led the team to the Italian championships (1993. 1998, 2001). Virtus Bologna’s coach, Sergio Scariolo has coached Olimpia for two years, from 2011 to 2013. Milos Teodosic has been coached by Messina at CSKA Moscow. He had Kyle Hines among his teammates. Marco Belinelli has been coached by Messina – as an assistant coach – in San Antonio. Billy Baron and Jordan Mickey led Zenit St. Petersburg last season to the VTB championship. Iffe Lundberg, Toko Shengelia and Daniel Hackett have played in Moscow along Johannes Voigtmann. Kyle Hines in Moscow teamed up with Hackett and they won the 2019 EuroLeague championship in Vitoria.

GAME NOTES – Nicolò Melli is two rebounds shy of 1.213’s grabbed by James Gist for the 12th place all-time. Melli is also one three away from reaching 200 for his career. Kevin Pangos has made at least one three in 33 of his last 34 appearances.