Another showdown between playoff-chasing rivals takes place in Belgrade as Maccabi (11-8) welcomes second-placed Virtus (14-5).
Luca Banchi, Virtus: 'A test of great maturity'
Seasons
3 Minutė skaityti
Regular Season
Round 20 of 34
Regular Season
Maccabi Playtika Tel AvivMTA
9578
Virtus Segafredo BolognaVIR
Overview
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Maccabi needs to respond from a 35-point mauling at Fenerbahce last week, while Virtus has won seven of its last eight games. Marco Belinelli drained 22 points when the Italian team beat Maccabi in Round 13, and he'll be looking to extend a run of seven straight games netting multiple triples. Maccabi loves to crash the boards and leads the league in offensive rebounding, so Toko Shengelia and co. will have to work hard to protect their backboard.
Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach
"Another double week, two challenging games against two very good teams. If we talk about the next game, Partizan away, it's also a different atmosphere and we have to be ready for it. What is important is how we react to the last game, which was unpleasant both in the result and the way it happened. We did not have the right energy and this is something that has already happened to us once or twice this season. So far we have reacted well and we would like to do it this time as well."
Luca Banchi, Virtus head coach
"The Belgrade match against Maccabi will oblige us to a test of great maturity, especially because of the urgency to offer a defensive performance that limits their scoring efficiency, to date one of the most prolific in the entire EuroLeague. Controlling the pace, ensuring protection of the box, winning the rebound duel and limiting turnovers will be the key of our game plan, in order to play a balanced game in front of an opponent that, already in the first game, showed its full potential."
Bonzie Colson, Maccabi player
"Bologna is a great team which has key players that play really well together. Belinelli has been playing unbelievably well lately, especially shooting the ball. The key will be stopping them and controlling the rebounds battle."
Isaia Cordinier, Virtus player
"Maccabi is a very specific team in a very specific moment,we're going to have a double week game on the road so we're very focused as it will be very demanding. They have a very fast game so we need to be aware and focused on what we are doing as a team and ready to compete."