Achille Polonara returns to basketball court after overcoming cancer / News - Basketnews.com

Polonara returned to the court after undergoing chemotherapy for testicular cancer. He scored five points in eight minutes against Tortona.

Credit: IPA/SIPA-Scanpix Credit IPA/SIPA-Scanpix

Virtus Segafredo Bologna's forward Achille Polonara returned to the basketball court after overcoming a serious illness.

Free throws this season

75%12,5Points made:12,5Accuracy:74,9%Place in standings:14Record max:20Record min:9Most made FTs:Tornike ShengeliaTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

The Italian player was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October. Following the news, Polonara underwent chemotherapy and was sidelined for more than a month. The 32-year-old came back on Sunday to play his first game in almost two months.

Polonara stepped on the court with 43 seconds left in the first quarter, as both teams applauded the forward. He was quickly greeted by Bertram Derthona Tortona's Kyle Weems, a former Virtus forward.

Overall, Polonara spent eight minutes on the court and scored five points by making two field goals, one of which was a triple that made the Segafredo Arena erupt in joy in the fourth quarter.

"It's been a long two months, now I hope I'm well. I'm very happy," Polonara said after the 99-70 victory via Repubblica Bologna.

Virtus head coach Luca Banchi congratulated the player after the game.

"An important thought goes to Achille and his return. It was a convincing week of training where he brought all his desire, energy, and optimism after what happened. It was nice to see him back on the court, and his 5 points also arrived, which the team wanted to celebrate in the right way. We are next to a guy who experienced a moment of great stress and who faced it with maturity and seriousness," Banchi said.

"I hope he felt the affection in the city from the fans and throughout the Italian basketball community because there was always a thought for him wherever we were, and I hope that this may have been a further impetus to his recovery. We'll continue on this path and we'll try to bring him to a condition that allows him to resume his role within a team in which he arrived with great expectations, both of him and ours, as quickly as possible," the coach concluded.

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