After a worrying 27-point loss at Barcelona on Wednesday, Virtus (15-9) will look to respond with its habitual strong home form against inconsistent Partizan (12-12).
Luca Banchi, Virtus: 'We know we will find a very determined opponent
Seasons
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 25 of 34
Regular Season
Virtus Segafredo BolognaVIR
8884
Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradePAR
Overview
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Virtus hasn't lost at home since the opening day of the season, while Partizan has dropped five straight on the road. Virtus edged a tight one, 75-77, in Belgrade in Round 17, with Iffe Lundberg netting 16 points. The Italian team's chances of securing the win and head-to-head advantage will be boosted if key man Toko Shengelia can return after missing Wednesday's loss at Barcelona, while Partizan will hope Kevin Punter stays hot after netting 28 points in defeat at Monaco.
Luca Banchi, Virtus head coach
"We come to the game against Partizan in the wake of a defeat that leaves a strong desire for redemption. We know we will find a very determined opponent, who will put all their resources on the court, as expected in a final part of the regular season, where every game will have a very high specific expense. We will absolutely have to increase the quality of our game and explore on the field every chance we can earn, taking advantage of the positive vibes that our arena and our fans will be able to transmit to us."
Daniel Hackett. Virtus player
"We’ll play against a team that is in the playoff race as are we. Every game becomes crucial, with an important specific weight. We will have to be able to react after the bad defeat in Barcelona: we are back home and we want to do the things we know how to do best, taking care of the small details and playing as a team. It will be necessary to play with a different aggressiveness from what we have shown in the last few away games, where we lacked the grit and tenacity we have always had."