A game with playoff implications takes place in Istanbul on Thursday evening (18:45 CET)
Fenerbahce and Virtus tip off Round 23 in style
Artículo
3 Min lectura
Regular Season
Round 23 of 34
Regular Season
Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulFBB
8875
Virtus Segafredo BolognaVIR
Overview
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Two teams currently occupying two of the direct spots for the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs are set to go against each other in Round 23, as Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (13-9) hosts Virtus Segafredo Bologna (15-7) at Ulker Sports and Event Hall on Thursday.
Fenerbahce's injury problems
All of a sudden, Fenerbahce could be without any of the forwards in its usual rotation, as Dyshawn Pierre and Nigel Hayes-Davis are sidelined. Hayes-Davis ranks second in minutes played per game (32:45) and Pierre (22:33) has started in all 16 games he has been available for.
It gets worse, as Nate Sestina and Tarik Biberovic are also ruled out after also missing their team's Round 22 game against Zalgiris Kaunas. They join another forward on the sidelines, with Metecan Birsen having not even stepped on the court this season. That's five of Fenerbahce's usual options at the two forward positions sidelined. So, how can head coach Saras Jasikevicius solve this major problem?
Fenerbahce quickly went to the market to sign Amine Noua to a short-term deal. He has been registered in time to play in Round 23, so he adds a much-needed body for Coach Jasikevicius. A stretch power forward with athleticism and deep range, Noua has what it takes to make an immediate impact.
With 19-year-old forward Hamza Mestoglu also unavailable due to injury, one round after making his EuroLeague debut, Johnathan Motley and Sertac Sanli should see minutes at power forward, while Marko Guduric is his team's first option at small forward. Expect Fenerbahce to use a lineup with three scoring guards and a couple of centers — and still be very competitive.
Virtus: Dealing without Shengelia
Just one game without Toko Shengelia allowed Virtus fans to see how important he is to their team. With Shengelia unavailable, Virtus struggled against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 22, trailing 48-56 with under 8 minutes remaining. A wild put-back dunk by Achille Polonara sparked a 14-0 run which allowed the Italian side to take the lead for good, 62-56. Despite scoring 28 points in the final 10 minutes, Virtus finished the game with 73 points, its second-lowest score of the season. Virtus got used to Shengelia's speed and ball handling and, without him, it was forced to play more five-on-five offense than coach Luca Banchi's team is used to.
Without Shengelia ready to run the floor and finish on the break or in transition, Virtus had to change its playing style a little bit. It took 31 three-point shots, way more than its season average (26.0). Virtus dished 16 assists, matching its season low at home and under its season average (19.3 apg.), while it is also less than ASVEL recorded (18).
In the absence of Shengelia, Polonara is Virtus's main option at power forward, with Awudu Abass ready to help if Coach Banchi goes for a small lineup, or Ante Zizic and Jordan Mickey playing together in a double-center lineup. Either way, both teams have to make a lot of adjustments, which makes this game even more attractive from a tactical standpoint.
A promising backcourt battle
With so many frontcourt absences, both teams' backcourts will have more expectations on their shoulders in this game. That was not the case when both teams met in Round 10 for the first time this season, when Virtus beat Fenerbahce 87-79 at home behind 15 points from Shengelia. Motley led Fenerbahce with 25 points. Marco Belinelli was limited to just 8 points, one shy of his season low. Fenerbahce was without Tyler Dorsey, and its two main backcourt scorers, Scottie Wilbekin and Guduric, combined for 22 points on 6-of-22 field goal attempts.
It should be a very different game on Thursday evening. Dorsey has averaged 16.3 points in the last four games, and Wilbekin scored 30 points in Round 21 against FC Bayern Munich and 22 in Round 22 against Zalgiris, averaging a PIR of 25.5.
Virtus's backcourt has also stepped up in recent games. Star playmaker Daniel Hackett had 19 points and a PIR of 29 in Round 22 against ASVEL, Belinelli has been just fantastic all season (14.7 ppg., 42.3% 3FG) and, unlike in Round 10, Coach Banchi can count on Isaia Cordinier (9.0 ppg., 44.9% 3FG), whose deep range and explosiveness can be decisive in any given game.
Speaking of three-pointers, Fenerbahce has hit 104-of-250 attempts since Saras arrived (41.6%), and had buried 133-of-368 shots from downtown (36.1%) before he joined the team.
This is a high-profile game between two teams wanting to stay in the upper part of the standings in front of what surely will be a really great crowd. Tune in at 18:45 CET and enjoy a great showdown!