Virtus Bologna secured a hard-fought 81-75 road victory over rivals Reyer Venezia in a classic Lega Basket Serie A derby on January 12, 2026. In a tense and physical encounter at the Palasport Taliercio, Bologna's defensive discipline in the fourth quarter proved decisive as they overcame a hostile environment. The teams traded leads throughout the first three quarters, with neither side able to build a significant advantage. The turning point came midway through the final period when Virtus went on a 10-0 run, fueled by steals and transition baskets, to open up a nine-point lead that Venezia could not recover from. A key controversy involved a disputed out-of-bounds call in the final two minutes that went in favor of the visitors, halting Venezia's momentum. The win was vital for Virtus Bologna's position in the upper echelons of the league table. Venezia's coach pointed to the costly turnover stretch, while the victorious Bologna manager praised his team's composure in a high-pressure road game.