Proud Scariolo highlights Teodosic's and Lundberg's performances / News - Basketnews.com

The Italian coach talked about economical limitations in the post-game conference after winning at Palau. Scariolo could not hide his pride, praising Lundberg, Ojeleye and Teodosic

Credit: Ion Alcoba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images Credit Ion Alcoba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Virtus Segafredo Bologna got their third victory on the road in the EuroLeague on Friday night at Palau Blaugrana. The Italian powerhouse has already won in Madrid and Barcelona this season, joining Olympiacos Piraeus as the only two teams to have done it.

Virtus Segafredo Bologna / Schedule

Virtus Segafredo Bologna Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul92-88 FC Barcelona Virtus Segafredo Bologna75-83 Virtus Segafredo Bologna Zalgiris KaunasTue19:30 Virtus Segafredo Bologna Olympiacos Piraeus01-1219:30

Scariolo's team had huge support from the Tifosi [Virtus fans], who traveled to Barcelona to push the team from the tip-off. They crowded one part of Palau's arena, jumping after each dunk, singing after any 3-pointer, and praising their idol Milos Teodosic.

A few minutes after the win, they did not want to leave.

It was an unforgettable night for them. Virtus managed their nerves, taming the Blaugranas from the beginning until the end.

"I feel pride right now. We have prepared well for this game. It's a big win for us against one of the best teams of the Euroleague," Sergio Scariolo began his post-game conference.

"My players did what we expected in our game plan. They deserve this. I know it's just one win, but I'm proud of them," he continued.

Barca tried to erase the deficit in the last quarter. Mirotic reduced the margin to three points (70-73) with three minutes to go. But Teodosic had other plans in his mind.

The magician, who did not score in the first half, accumulated all his 8 points in the last quarter, including a clutch 3-pointer to shush Palau.

"Milos had a tough first half. In the second half, he has shown his level. His wisdom has helped us a lot. He made important shots. He knows how to play these kinds of minutes," recognized Scariolo.

While Teodosic was a key factor for Virtus, Iffe Lundberg led the Italian team with a solid performance.

The Danish point guard scored 20 points in 23 minutes of action. After being ruled out in the last domestic league against Olimpia Milano, Lundberg played aggressively on both sides of the court.

3-pointers this season

36%8,1Points made:8,1Accuracy:36,2%Place in standings:14Record max:14Record min:4Most made 3FGs:Milos TeodosicTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Scariolo could not hide satisfaction with Lundberg's performance. The mastermind coach praised his player's mentality.

"We expect this kind of games from him. He was not in his best mood, but he is a great guy. I left him out against Milano, and he was cheering the team with amusement. He works a lot. He practices hard," said Scariolo.

Virtus did a great job defensively over Nikola Mirotic and Nico Laprovittola. They just made 5 field goals combined.

"They were our main goals. Niko is not in his best shape yet, and Lapro dished 10 assists, so this clearly shows you how talented he is," said Scariolo.

Virtus are now in a good stretch. They have won 4 of their last 5 games. Ojeleye was back after the injury, making a great contribution.

"We really believe in him. He is in his first year overseas, improving day-to-day," admitted Scariolo.

In the last weeks, the Italian team showed interest in adding Achille Polonara to the roster. Despite the rumors and Singleton's return to Anadolu Efes, Scariolo hinted Virtus may not add any player in the market.

"I do not think we can bolster the team, we have economic limitations. We hope to recover injured players and stay healthy to extend our competitive capacity."

Scariolo kept talking about it, expressing his concern due to the schedule.

"Season is a succession of injuries. The competition is very nice, but we should take care of it. We are on the limit. The repeated physical and mental effort in such a short time is extremely hard for the players."

As it happened in Madrid, the Spanish National Team coach had a warm welcome. Asked about this, Scariolo had nothing but gratitude for the gesture.

"I really appreciate it. It has been emotional. Even though we had some rivalries in the past, people are competent here. They recognize what we did for all the country," Scariolo concluded.

Thank you for reading us! We have even more content for you.