2002-03Regular SeasonRound 9
December 18, 2002 CET: 00:00
Local time: 00:00 PALAMALAGUTI

As if none of its recent injuries had happened, Virtus registered its second Group C win in a row on Wednesday by defeating Real Madrid 91-82 at home in Bologna before a home crowd that saw their team refuse to feel sorry for itself. Both Virtus and Madrid are now 5-4, part of a four-way tie for second place with Ulker and Olympiacos. It was the first game for Virtus without starters Charlie Bell, to be sidelined for at least 4 months, and David Andersen, out for 10 days. To an initial 3-12 break by Madrid, Virtus responded with a 31-4 scoring run that lasted into the second quarter and changed the game for the duration. Real Madrid was unable to challenge for the lead the rest of the way, not the way Virtus made sure of the rebounds and got easy fastbreak baskets as a result. Virtus was led by Matjaz Smodis, who nailed 23 points to go with 5 rebounds. Derrick Dial followed with 18 points, Antoine Rigaudeau 17 and Alessandro Frosini 12. Real Madrid hung on to Alain Digbeu's 19 points (shooting 5 for 8 from beyond the arc), but besides him, only Alex Mumbru (14) and Damir Mulaomerovic (12) reached double digits in scoring.

Real Madrid surprised Virtus at the beginning, lining up 3-2 zone defence and alternating man - to - man to full court press. With Damir Mulaomerovic's drives inside Real took early big lead (3-12), with good moving of the ball at half court. Centers Dragan Tarlac and Derrick Alston gave inside contribution, while Virtus was suffering bad field goals (1 for 8, 25%) and 3 consecutive turnovers. Coach Tanjevic called a time out, and Virtus came off the time out with different attitude; led by Matjaz SModis and captain Antoine Rigaudeau, Virtus outscored Real Madrid who suffered heavy turnovers and set big 17-2 run with easy baskets on the break. Tanjevic gave room to Alessandro Frosini (due to Koturovic early injury) and Mladen Sekularac too, and Yugoslav player gave his contribution with a great dunk on the break. Virtus had 3 points lead with 20 seconds left; coach Imbroda double teamed Derrick Dial at halfcourt, but Virtus was well prepared and found Smodis for an open triple from the corner. Virtus took highest 6 points lead (20-16), which was reduced by a lay up at the buzzer by Dragan Tarlac (20-16).

Virtus went on with the incredible run in the second quarter, closing any way to the basket to guests for 6 minutes and 7 seconds in the second period. Hosts deepened their lead with outstanding 14-0 run (34-16) with many easy baskets. Real Madrid tried to press Virtus, but hosts' intensity was higher. The run went on, just stopped by a triple sank by Lucas Victoriano (34-19). Alex Mumbrù tried to keep his team into the game, but Virtus' rising tide was too much for guests, who were doubled in the score (42-21). Virtus had good moving of the ball, while Real Madrid suffered bad percentage and still heavy turnovers. A couple of turnovers and some fouls called to Sekularac allowed guests to reduce the gap by the end of the period (46-32 thanks to Victoriano), but Rigaudeau sank big jumper at the buzzer which fixed the score 48-32 after 20 minutes.

Real Madrid tried to come back with a run at the beginning of the third period (2-9, score was 50-41) with Tarlac and Lucio Angulo's baskets. Guests tried to play more aggressive than the first half forcing Virtus to make mistakes; hosts suffered a decrease of intensity and with Damir Mulaomerovic's triple Real Madrid reduced the gap to 8 (55-47). Antoine Rigaudeau took Virtus by the hand and really invented 8 points (5 consecutive) to re-establish the lead (63-51). With perimetral play with Alain Digbeu (who nailed three triples in the quarter) Real Madrid managed to stay into the game (68-60), but didn't lose the control of the game switching also to zone defense. Smodis gave back Virtus double digits lead at the buzzer with a 2 plus 1 play that fixed the score 71-60 after 30 minutes.

Real Madrid looked for Digbeu and Angulo to make the last assault of the game (two triples), but Virtus responded triple after triple with Scarone and Dial to keep the lead (77-66). Digbeu hit another three coming off the picks, but that was the last attempt (77-69): with great contribution by Alessandro Frosini Virtus set once again a key 9-0 exploiting excellent 6 for 6 shooting in the first minutes of the last quarter. That run closed the game (86-69), and when Real Madrid came back with almost two minutes to go with 10 points to make up it was too late for guests.

Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Daniele Baiesi, Bologna
No results found.
Referees: KOROMILAS, KOSTAS; COELHO, ANTONIO; UDRICA, MARIUS
Attendance: 3250
By Quarter1234
Virtus Bologna20282320
Real Madrid16162822
End of Quarter1234
Virtus Bologna20487191
Real Madrid16326082
Virtus Bologna
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
6 AVLEEV, RUSLAN 29:00 5 2/5 0/2 1/2 1 4 5     2   1 3 2  
7 DIAL, DERRICK 35:00 18 4/5 3/4 1/2   2 2 4 1       2 1 21
8 BELINELLI, MARCO DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9 GAGNEUR, YANNICK 3:00                           1 1
10 SEKULARAC, MLADEN 19:00 6 3/3 0/1     4 4 1 1       4 1 8
12 FROSINI, ALESSANDRO 35:00 12 5/8   2/2 2 5 7 2 3 2 4 1 2 3 23
14 RIGAUDEAU, ANTOINE 29:00 17 3/5 3/3 2/2 1   1 4 3 2     2 3 22
16 SCARONE, GERMAN 19:00 8 1/2 2/4         1 1 1 1   4   3
17 BRKIC, DAVID 1:00                         1   -1
18 SMODIS, MATJAZ 25:00 23 4/8 3/6 6/7 3 2 5   3 3 1 1 2 5 23
20 KOTUROVIC, DEJAN 5:00 2 0/1   2/2   3 3     5     5 4 -2
Team             2 2   6 2         6
Totals 200:00 91 22/37 11/20 14/17 7 22 29 12 18 17 6 3 25 20 104
        59.5% 55% 82.4%
Head coach: TANJEVIC, BOGDAN
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Real Madrid
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
4 MENA, RAUL DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5 MULAOMEROVIC, DAMIR 25:00 12 3/9 2/4     2 2 2 1 2   3 3   1
6 ALSTON, DERRICK 30:00 9 4/8   1/4 2 1 3 2 2 3     3 4 7
7 ANGULO, LUCIO 24:00 7 2/4 1/2     4 4 2 4 3     3 3 11
8 VICTORIANO, LUCAS 15:00 5 1/2 1/2         2 2       1 3 9
9 DIGBEU, ALAIN 29:00 19   5/8 4/4   2 2 1 2 2 2   1 5 25
11 HERREROS, ALBERTO 13:00 4 0/1   4/4 3   3       1   2 3 8
12 TARLAC, DRAGAN 23:00 8 4/5     1 5 6     3   1 2 1 8
14 REYES, ALFONSO 18:00 2 1/3     2   2 1   3     2 1 -1
15 MUMBRU, ALEX 16:00 14 3/3 1/3 5/5   2 2   1 1     1 4 17
16 HERNANDEZ-SONSECA, EDU 7:00 2 0/2   2/2               1 1 1 -1
Team           1 2 3   6 1         8
Totals 200:00 82 18/37 10/19 16/19 9 18 27 10 18 18 3 5 19 25 92
        48.6% 52.6% 84.2%
Head coach: IMBRODA, JAVIER
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

TANJEVIC, BOGDAN
Virtus Bologna
"I am very happy for the win, because this was a key step for us in the standings. Now we get closer to the Top 16. I am just a little unsatisfied with the final minutes, when our team was clearly waiting for the end. I have to say that Real Madrid didn't express itself at its usual level. I hope David Andersen will recover soon."
IMBRODA, JAVIER
Real Madrid
"We studied their offensive plays, that is the reason for our constant defensive changes. But we decreased the level of our game, we played bad offense and due to turnovers we let them come back into the game and make a big run. We improved in the third quarter, but Virtus played good pick-and-roll plays and found threes with Dial, Smodis and Rigaudeau."

Players

SMODIS, MATJAZ
Virtus Bologna
"We started with difficulties in offense due to their defensive changes that we did not understand and expect at the beginning. But then we increased our intensity and found easy baskets on the break. We used the spaces in a good way, and we were well prepared on their pick-and-roll plays, which is one of their first offensive options."
MULAOMEROVIC, DAMIR
Real Madrid
"We started good, but maybe we suffered a psychological problem, as we probably thought that without players like Charlie Bell and David Andersen, everything would be easier for us. It's always tough to play here, but this is just a loss, we have to keep our head high and think about the next game."
No results found.