Bryant made the different in crunch time, but Dan Oturu was a solid force all game long, especially in the first quarter, getting 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Oturu ended up getting his first double-double of his EuroLeague career with season highs of 21 points, 10 rebounds and a PIR of 30.
His effort under the boards allowed Hapoel to turn things around. After being outrebounded 23-15 in the first half, Hapoel won the battle of the boards after the break (12-16). Oturu, however, was eager to give credit to the entire team for fighting.
“It’s a collective effort from everybody, not just the bigs fighting for the boards, but everybody,” Oturu said. “When the shots go up, finding our man, hitting them, and then going to get the track and the ball. And everybody helping, coming in. The guards coming in to help the bigs get the ball. It’s a huge part.
“That was, I think, in the first half, a really important thing that we needed to focus on coming into the second half. So honing in on that side and just grabbing the ball and making sure we get one shot and one stop is super important. I think that’s what helped us win today.”
Hapoel is now set to look for its 12th win at home when it hosts Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade at Pais Arena Jerusalem on Tuesday, December 16. Virtus will look to bounce back in the first of two games in Serbia next week as it faces Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on Wednesday, December 17.