Bologna –
Meat so tender as to tickle even the finest palates, Tortona always manages to amaze without ever getting bitten while playing its sumptuous season. Even capable of reaching the Scudetto semifinals as a newly promoted team, hoisted up there where none had come since Reggio Emilia (1997/98), even if Bertram was the first overall as a rookie in the top division.
Against Reyer Marco Ramondino, renewed until 2024, led his men by remounting the initial 0-1 through the masterpiece of Game 3 at Taliercio, when it was necessary to get back possession of the court factor. It was the night of the turning point, never giving Venice a chance to come back, winning three quarters out of four with five players in double figures: Daum (19), Sanders (15), Macura (11), Wright and Cain (10 apiece), operating with the usual side changes that allowed everyone to touch the ball. Finally game 4, again in Mestre, another evening conducted from the two-ball, handled with lucidity and precision, won once again in rebounds, 44 to 28 (16 offensive), shooting better both from two, (48% vs. 39%), and at the free throws, (13/15 vs. 8/14 Orogranata) and with the zone defense limiting Reyer’s attacks, which almost never reached the iron. Three games packed into an offensive handkerchief: 70, 73, 72 points, Derthona’s ideal range. Precisely, JP Macura, symbol man of the Piedmontese season, will continue with the Bertram jersey for the next two seasons (agreement until June 30, 2024) after a brilliant rookie year so far led with 13.4 points average, 24 double figures and over 32% from the arc. An exponential growth after a complex start (five games in single figures in the first nine), then exploding in the second half, with his season-high of 25 points against Napoli thanks to 7/11 from the arc, while in the Coppa Italia he was the best scorer with 19.3 points, in the great ride that took Tortona to the final overcoming Segafredo itself. Among the 60 games played by Virtus in the season, spread over 4 competitions, just 12 defeats and 2 of them came precisely with Tortona, the only team along with Valencia and Buducnost to beat it more than once: the last face-to-face the championship one on the 28th day, won by the Italian Champions 101-83.
