the bianconeri are champions of Italy after twenty years

A well-deserved championship since last season. Virtus closes the company started two years ago with the construction of an extraordinary roster. Nothing could have been done in a tired and flaky Milan after an eternal year, which ended with the regret of this defeat. For Virtus it is the sixteenth championship in its history, twenty years after its last success

FIRST FOUR

Messina confirms Micov and inserts Leday on the bench in place of Tarczewski. Markovic defends very well on Shiels and opens the scoring with an elegant support in penetration. The Serbian himself responds to Hines’ first two points with a 5-2 triple, but Shields takes the chair with the partial 4-0 overtaking. Abass and Pajola immediately bring Virtus back in front, but Segafredo’s third lost ball in attack allows Datome to sign the +6 Armani (9-15) in two consecutive actions. Virtus at 5 ‘from the start has already exhausted the bonus, while Milan is still at 0 fouls. Teodosic commits a rebound foul giving two easy free throws to Rodriguez of 9-17 and Djordjevic immediately calls time out to stop Olimpia’s 8-0 break. Hunter fights to rebound and Pajola’s next triple suggested by Belinelli brings Segafredo back to -3 (14-17). Punter throws back the hosts with a triple on the counterattack, while Belinelli still struggles to light up and his attempts from the arc are extinguished on the iron. Punter scores again but Weems keeps Virtus alive with the triple of -5 (17-22). The gap remains unchanged until the end of the fourth, closed at 19-24 with the stop and shot of Punter and the dunk of Alibegovic in the reversal in front.

SECOND FOURTH

Cinciarini, on his debut in the series, opens the fourth with a bomb, but Belinelli signs up for the match by replying with the same weapon, defending well on Micov and serving the assist to Alibegovic of -4 (23-27). Pajola is on fire also in attack and his step back of -2 forces Messina to stop the game to talk about it with his team. Alibegovic occupies the role of pivot well and concretizes Pajola’s pass with the overtaking hook. Kyle Weems closes the comeback with the triple of 30-27 that sends Segafredo Arena into raptures. Rodriguez derails against the Juventus defense and in the following action Hunter scores his second goal with a distance shot. Datome stops Segafredo’s break and Shields brings the guests back to -1 from the line. Once again, in the middle of the quarter Virtus is in bonus, while Milan has committed only one foul according to the refereeing trio. Ricci’s triple is long and in the overturning in front of Datome achieves, again from the line, the 32-32. Shields scores on the counterattack but Belinelli takes the usual triple out of balance for 35-34. Segafredo’s tough defense is constantly punished by the referees and Datome brings the guests back with a precise 2/2. Always from the line Shields stretches up to +3 Milan and Djordjevic calls time out. Upon returning to the field, Belinelli is still the protagonist with a 4-point game. Bologna defends well but Hines’ precious rebound gives Rodriguez an easy 3-pointer for 39-41 Armani. The Spaniard himself commits an unsportsmanlike foul, but Djordjevic’s men do not make the most of the opportunity: both Pajola and Teodosic are 1/2 from the line and the score returns to parity (42-42). The first half ends with Shields’ basket and Belinelli’s mistake for the partial 41-43

THIRD FOURTH

The first triples of Ricci and Rodriguez go out on the iron and it is Weems who unlocks the score with the bomb of the black and white 44-43. Weems is still the protagonist by closing an assist from Teodosic to the basket for the 48-45 and with a fundamental ball recovered in defense, but Segafredo does not take advantage and Hines keeps Milan at -1. Teodosic, still at 3 points, finds another illuminating assist for Ricci, while the excellent defense of the VNere forces Milan to ineffective forcing. Teodosic was sanctioned with a technical foul for flopping but Armani did not take advantage of it and Hines slammed into the long bianconeri. Teodosic, despite the three personal fouls, decides to stay on the field to capitalize on the penetration of +4 (52-48). Micov tries to load his teammates on his teammates shoulders, gaining two free penetrations, but his 0/2 is bloody. Segafredo is in bonus, while Milan has committed only one foul in 7 minutes. Punter finds the basket after an eternal action by Armani characterized by many errors and two offensive rebounds. Belinelli misses 3 but in the following action stops a dangerous penetration of Rodriguez. Milan commits his second foul with 5 ”left in the fourth, but Teodosic is cynical and manages to use the remaining time to make the bomb of 55-51.

FOURTH FOURTH

The last quarter opens with a Punter airball. Belinelli feels the important moment and makes a glowing triple from the arc that forces Messina to call time out with Milan down by 7 (58-51). Hines does not give up, challenges Alibegovic and finds the goal of -5. Alibegovic misses from the arc and Rodriguez responds with a triple of 58-56. Djordjevic decides to stop the game and his team returns to the field with determination. The rebounds are bianconeri and the Belinelli / Hunter duo churns out the 63-56 Vnere partial 6 ‘from the end. Teodosic commits his fourth personal foul, but Armani finds no more spaces in attack. Weems is still very hot and his central triple of 66-56 leads Messina to call the first time out of his fourth. Milan loses yet another offensive possession, but Weems takes the iron and Pajola rebounds is sanctioned with his fourth personal foul. Shields returns to move the scoresheet in Milan with the 4 personal points of -6 Olimpia with 2’30 from the end. Markovic uses a large corridor built by his teammates to support two easy points. Ricci scores a lethal triple from the corner and Belinelli gets a decisive rebound. Virtus Segafredo beat Milan for the fourth time out of four and won the Scudetto.

TABLES

Bologna power Segafredo

Belinelli 15, Pajola 8, Alibegovic 6, Markovic 7, Ricci 5, Adams, Hunter 6, Weems 14, Nikolic, Teodosic 10, Gamble, Abass 2

A|X Exchange Milano

Punter 11, Leday 2, Micov, Moraschini, Rodriguez 8, Biligha, Cinciarini 5, Shields 16, Brooks, Hines 10, Datome 10, Wojciechowski