The Danish guard put the game to bed with a three-pointer in the final seconds of the contest
Iffe Lundberg came up clutch (again) to eliminate Efes
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Iffe Lundberg’s triple with 11 seconds remaining dealt a major blow to Anadolu Efes Istanbul on Tuesday night, as Virtus Segafredo Bologna escaped with a 64-67 victory at a packed Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.
Following Tuesday night's win, the Italian side has now earned the opportunity to compete for a spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, with another do-or-die clash to come – this time against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz – on Friday.
Lundberg and his clutch gene
Having struggled to find his role under head coach Sergio Scariolo last season, Lundberg has managed to show his potential following Luca Banchi’s appointment this term. The 29-year-old forward has not only adapted to Banchi’s philosophy, but he has also turned himself into one of the most clutch players in the league this season. Tuesday’s game was neither the first game where Lundberg was called to come to the fore nor the first time he delivered on the floor.
After netting 9 points in the last 7 minutes of the Italian Derby in Round 8 against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, he also recorded 8 points in the last 6 minutes of the Round 12 clash against FC Barcelona, with Virtus winning both games. Lundberg also produced great displays in both games against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade this season. He netted a basket to make it 72-75 on the road with 18 seconds remaining and drilled a triple with 35 seconds left to make it 82-81 at home. The Italian side won the two games 75-77 and 88-84, respectively.
His heroics in Istanbul
His latest clutch moment came on Tuesday night, with Virtus leading 61-64 in Istanbul. Lundberg opted for an iso situation against Shane Larkin and nailed a dagger in front of one of the most experienced players in the competition, which silenced the crowd and showed once again that he is Virtus's go-to guy in crunch time. Overall, he produced a complete performance against Efes, ending the game with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists to help his team keep on dreaming.
Virtus recorded an impressive 21 assists considering that it scored just 67 points, showing again that its team spirit has allowed it to win big games like this one. After ending Efes’s five-game winning streak, the Italian side will travel to Vitoria-Gasteiz in its bid to pull off another stunning victory.
Team cohesion might be the key to winning that game, but having a clutch player such as Lundberg is always important when the team needs scoring deep in the final minutes of the contest.