ROME (Lega A) - City rivals Climamio Bologna and VidiVici Bologna look set to meet in the Italian Lega A play-offs.
With just one round of games to play, regular season leaders Climamio are top of the standings after their 126-85 thrashing of Viola Reggio Calabria while eighth-placed VidiVici Bologna downed Whirlpool Varese 86-79.
Climamio's win was built largely on 28 points from Marco Belinelli while Yakhouba Diawara managed 25. Four other players added double digit scores with a huge performance from Dalibor Bagaric who added a game-high 10 rebounds to his 13 points as Climiamo went to 26-7.
For VidiVici - the former club of San Antonio Spurs and Argentina great Manu Ginobili - Dusan Bukcevic managed 18 points - a figure matched by 18 points from Marlon Garnett for Varese who are coached by Argentina's Olympic gold-medal winning boss Ruben Magnano.
It all points to an appetising showdown between clubs who arguably have the greatest city rivalry in world basketball - appropriately for the university city that is known in Italy as "the city of two towers".
Elsewhere, Vertical Vision Cantu were on the receiving end of an 85-72 walloping from Carpisa Napoli on Thursday.
Ansu Sesay poured in 23 points for the victors and hauled down nine rebounds with some stout support from Valerio Spinelli who had 21.
Alessando Cittadini managed 13 points for the victors against Cantu for whom Kebu Stewart added a game high 11 rebounds to his 12 points while David Lamma's 15 points made him top scorer for the losers.
The third quarter proved decisive with the scores deadlocked at 32-32 at the halfway stage but the visitors from Naples having pulled away to 63-48 at the end of the third.
Cantu slip to 12-21 with just one week of the regular season to play.
Next best are Benetton Treviso who easily dispatched Snaidero Cucine Udine 105-83 for whom Kyle Hills was top scorer with 19 while Benetton were paced by Matteo Soragna with 17 and Ramunas Siskauskas who added 16.
Armani Jeans Milano eclipsed Angelico Biella 93-83 for whom Damon Williams produced an outstanding 33 points and nine rebounds in a losing cause.
Preston Shumpert, with 22 points, was the top scorer for Milano with Tyrone Grant (14), Joseph Blair (14), Giacomo Galanda (13), Massimo Bulleri (12) and Dante Calabria (11) all hitting double digits for the victors.
Lottomatica Roma beat Navigo.it Teramo 81-76 with Dejan Bodiroga posting 20 points while David Hawkins (16 points and 10 rebounds) was also key to the Eternal City club's success.
The game was deadlocked at 60-60 at the end of the third quarter before Roma took control.
Third-placed Montepaschi Siena also look good for the play-offs after an 87-51 thrashing of BT Roseto whose Jack Martinez had top scoring honours with 21.
Basket Livorno edged Air Avellino 81-78 with Brandon Brown's 20-point haul in vain for the losers who led 59-57 at the end of the third quarter.
Upea Capo d'Orlando eclipsed Bipop Carire Reggio Emilia 98-92, largely on the back of 28 points from Marque Perry and 24 from Kristaps Janicenoks although the leading scorer was Bipop's Ricky Minard.
PA Sport