Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz kept its late-season surge alive on Friday night, beating Virtus Bologna 82-72 at Virtus Arena and earning a fourth straight win for the first time this EuroLeague season.
The result marked Baskonia’s second road victory of the campaign and continued a dramatic turnaround after an 0-6 start. First-year coach Paolo Galbiati has now guided the Basque club through a strong closing run, with the latest win coming in a game that demanded patience as much as pace.
Baskonia jumped on Virtus early, racing to a 15-2 lead behind a fast start from Eugene Omoruyi, who scored 10 points in the opening burst. Virtus fought back in the second quarter, with Derrick Alston Jr. helping the hosts flip the momentum and briefly move ahead 37-35.
The visitors answered before halftime, closing the second quarter with a 9-2 run to take a 44-39 lead into the break. That composure mattered later, because Baskonia never let the game become chaotic even when Virtus tried to speed it up.
Omoruyi finished with a career-high 22 points, while Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 19 and delivered the decisive late scoring. The French forward opened the fourth quarter with seven straight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers, and scored nine of Baskonia’s final 16 points to seal the win.
Baskonia’s defense also did its job on Carsen Edwards, who was forced into a difficult night without Luca Vildoza and Matt Morgan beside him. Edwards finished with 13 points, but he shot just 1-for-7 from three-point range and 4-for-11 inside the arc as Baskonia repeatedly sent him left and kept him from turning the corner.
Baskonia closes the regular season at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on April 16. Virtus heads to Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv on the same day. Both teams have already been eliminated from postseason.
