Virtus Bologna closed a frustrating EuroLeague season with a performance that looked nothing like a team playing out the string. On Thursday night at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, the Italian side beat Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv 85-89 to snap an eight-game losing streak and hand recently appointed coach Nenad Jakovljevic his first EuroLeague victory.
The result mattered for more than the standings. Virtus arrived in Belgrade short-handed and under pressure, but it played with purpose, forced 16 turnovers and converted 26 of 40 two-point attempts, a strong 65 percent inside the arc.
Maccabi, already out of postseason contention, still made the night uncomfortable. The home team kept fighting and briefly turned the final minute into a nerve test after scoring nine points in 10 seconds to pull within a possession.
Virtus did not fold. Derrick Alston Jr. finished the job at the line, scoring the final two points to seal the four-point win and finish with 18 points. Carsen Edwards led the offense with 19 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds, and came within three points of the 2,000-point mark for his EuroLeague career.
Virtus also got major production from its young frontcourt. Saliou Niang posted 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, while Aliou Diarra added 13 points and 8 rebounds in another encouraging showing.
The supporting cast mattered too. Francesco Ferrari, 20, chipped in 7 points, and 18-year-old guard Matteo Baiocchi logged meaningful minutes in a road game that tested Virtus’ composure and depth.
Maccabi had strong individual numbers despite the loss. Lonnie Walker IV scored 24 points, while James Webb III added 11 and Roman Sorkin finished with 10, but the hosts also committed 16 turnovers and could not fully recover from Virtus’ control in the middle quarters.
