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oct 21 2026Àlex Mumbrú summed it up perfectly after the game: "There were two games in one game tonight." In the first, Virtus Bologna was superior and led by 13 points. In the second, Hapoel Tel Aviv tightened defensively, dominated the boards, and rallied to win 90-81 in Sofia, where they play as the home team. Dimitris Itoudis' squad has won three straight and improves to 5-2.
The first half belonged to the Italians. The entry of Aliou Diarra off the bench changed Virtus' energy, as they closed the first quarter ahead (23-25) and broke away in the second with Derrick Alston Jr. and Tommaso Baldasso. Their dominance on the offensive glass, with up to 12 rebounds in the first half, allowed them to open a 12-point lead (29-41), and a three-pointer by Wendell Moore Jr. at the buzzer left it 36-48 at halftime.
Eight Minutes to Turn It Around
Virtus' largest lead came early in the third quarter (38-51). That's when Virtus disconnected. "We weren't ready in the first four or five minutes after halftime," Mumbrú acknowledged. Hapoel hardened their defense, began to dominate the boards, and found their reference point in Zach LeDay. Two free throws by the power forward put the Israelis ahead (55-53), and the quarter ended with a 28-14 run (64-62).
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Hapoel Seals It, Virtus Can't Respond
In the fourth quarter, Hapoel kept pressing until they went up 13 (79-66), with Elijah Bryant, who scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, and Vasilije Micic, with 16, supporting LeDay. Diarra, Virtus' leading scorer with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks, attempted a comeback, but the Italians simply ran out of time. The finish also saw a brief confrontation between Itoudis and Mumbrú on the sideline.
LeDay finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Virtus, who arrived with a 4-2 record, suffers their third loss and will host Žalgiris next week. Hapoel will play in Sofia against Anadolu Efes.
