"Siena is heavily favored. But so was Milan and Virtus overturned that forecast. I am hopeful. Tomorrow perhaps I will go to Siena with the boys, to be in the stands." Pagliuca is pulling heavily for the black V. He hasn't felt that way since the time when Cazzola was at Virtus; they have since met, and parted ways painfully when Pagliuca left Bologna last year. But this is a different story, a different sport, a different Virtus. Pagliuca has come back to the fold of the black V. Friday, at game four against Milan, Bologna's former number one was quaking with passion in the stands of PalaMalaguti, wearing the t-shirt with three-balled rabbits. Monday night, at the "Meet Your Champion" gala charity auction, he bought Di Bella's shirt for 170 euro. And in the next few days he will be one of the guest stars at Virtus City Camp, run by Sabatini at Cierrebi.

Pagliuca, Virtus is back at the highest levels of basketball.
"And we must give many thanks to Sabatini. To me, he's the greatest. Everyone remembers where Virtus was four years ago when he took it on, and where it is today. He is the principal cause of the rebirth."

And where would you put Markovski?
"Just a touch below. And to think that this year I have heard fans railing against him with a rancor that I thought absurd."

On to the players...
"Best is the greatest. They have said that he was old and needed to be dropped, and instead he's making a great end to the season. However the finals end, I hope he stays. Could use a few more old guys like that..."

Are you thinking about Pagliuca?
"No, I'm thinking about Best."

It appears that Inter has been thinking about Pagliuca.
"It's a thought, and the sun hasn't set on it yet. It depends on Toldo. If he finds a team that guarantees him the same pay as Inter, I could be playing again."

Coming back to Virtus, who will be the key man in the series with Siena?
"If Dreyer shows the same stuff he did against Milan, we have a great chance to overturn the odds one more time."

Besides Best, who has been a nice surprise?
"Crosariol, for the great improvements he's making. And Di Bella, for how quickly he has gotten back in shape after a long break for disc surgery. I have had a chance to meet "Dibo" at Isokinetic, where he was doing physical therapy and I was treating the ailments of my unfortunate Ascoli season. I found him to be a great guy, and I wish him the best luck in the world."

That's the explanation for the shirt you bought at auction.
"It's for my son, Mattia."

He must be a fan, too, we imagine.
"He's only five years old, but I bring him to games with me when I can. He'll be there Friday, for game two."

Will you be explaining to him why the rabbits have balls and eagles have none?
"I wore that shirt for team spirit, not to make fun of our derby rivals. It's a wheel that turns - Bazzani has had reason to be happy, now it's my turn. But I'm sure that Fortitudo [translator's note: Bologna's other team] will be back in contention soon."

Update from www.vivapagliuca.com: Siena won this time.