Former Fortitudo Bologna player Ruben Douglas, the hero of the second Italian national title that the blue-and-white Eagles from the capital city of Italian basketball won in 2005, passed away at the age of 44 amid health issues.
Douglas, a shooting guard, was the author of a three-pointer that, at the buzzer, allowed Fortitudo to defeat Olimpia Milan on the road and, in so doing, close the 2004-2005 final series with a triumph.
Eventually, Douglas’ buzzer-beater was the first and thus far unique case of an instant replay validating a bucket being decisive to determine a national title.
In that successfull, 2024-2025 season, the 1,92-meter tall guard from Pasadena, CA, with also a Panamian passport, poured in 13 points, 5 rebounds with a 33,1% efficiency from beyond the arc for Fortitudo.
Such stats rendered Douglas a key piece on a highly qualitative Bologna roster that, under the lead of head coach Jasmin Repeša, was also composed by captain Gianluca Basile, center Dalibor Bagarić, forwards Matjaž Smodiš, Erazem Lorbek, Martin Rančik and Stefano Mancinelli, as well as Miloš Vujanić, Rodolfo Rombaldoni and Gianmarco Pozzecco in the guard spot.
Following his tenure at Fortitudo, the Panamian international player also played for Dynamo Moscow in Russia, Pamesa Valencia and Real Betis in Spanish ACB, and Virtus Rome in Italian Serie A.
Prior to his winning season in Bologna, Douglas served at Panionios in Greece.
Matteo Cazzulani
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