The arrival of big man Toko Shengelia to Italy's oldest basketball club, Virtus Segafredo Bologna, has been one of the key factors for the resurgence of the Black V.
Shengelia joined in 2022 and was one of the main factors in Virtus lifting the EuroCup trophy and therefore earning the right to play in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague again for the first time since 2008.
"I love it here, to be honest," Shengelia says. "[Bologna] is a perfect city to play basketball, not only just the city, but the fanbase here is amazing."
During the 2022-23 season, Virtus and Shengelia struggled a bit to settle down again on Europe's top basketball stage. However, this season, the Italian team has been playing consistently from the beginning under new head coach Luca Banchi and is aiming for a spot in the playoffs.
"Chemistry is the secret ingredient that every team needs," Shengelia explains. "You can have as much talent as you want, but if chemistry does not click, you can't usually go that far."
This season, his 11th in the EuroLeague, Shengelia is averaging 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals for some of his best numbers ever since his debut in the league.
Shengelia's teammate Daniel Hackett has the perfect definition for the teammate with whom he forms one of the most seasoned duos in the league: "Toko Shengelia is like one of those trains that never stop."
And we better believe him.