Olimpia Milano no longer stops in the Euroleague! The meneghini conquer the Pavilion Fountain of San Luis beating Valencia with a score of 84-88thus hitting the fifth consecutive victory and still keeping alive the hope of hitting the playoffs. Eleventh seal of the season in Europe for the EA7 Emporio Armani (against 14 defeats), with one match to recover against Fenerbahce Istanbul. In the next round, scheduled in 48 hours, the Milanese players await coach Obradovic’s Partizan Belgrade at the Forum (jump ball at 20:30).
Shabazz Napier you take the stage with 28 points and 5 assistscon Kevin Pangos which closes at altitude 13 points returning after the stop that kept him away from the fields for several months. Double figures also for ‘Pippo’ Ricci (12 points), Nicolò Melli (11) and Kevin Pangos (10)while i 19 points by Chris Jones and of 15 equally divided between Jared Harper e Joseph Puerto.
Shavon Shields and Kevin Pangos meet again in the ranks of Olimpia after the long injuries (out of Datome, Hall and Biligha). The hosts got off to a good start with Puerto’s 2+1 (3-0), with Milan trying to respond with Voigtmann (3-2). Webb III is lethal from the arc (8-3), but Captain Melli keeps the Milanese in contact from the line (8-5). In the second part of the first quarter, Valencia returns to raise its voice with a mini-partial of 6-0 (14-5), but EA7 Emporio Armani promptly makes up for it with Shabazz Napier’s tripe (14-10) . Dubljevic replies with the same coin (17-10), while Baron first and again Napier then from two maintain a full possession of disadvantage (17-14). Harper from two leads the Iberians to +7 (21-14)ma Kevin Pangos opens his first game in the Euroleague after the long injury with a triple worth the 21-17 which closes the first part.
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Rivero from the paint and two free throws by Prepelic inaugurate the scoring of the second set (25-17): the hosts push on the accelerator and also find the first double-digit advantage of the match thanks to Lopez-Arostegui (27-17). Kevin Pangos sets up on his own and places five points in a row: Olimpia reacts and forcefully returns to -6 (28-22). The Italian champions regain fluidity in attack and shorten further with Hines and Napier (28-26), but Dubljevic from three interrupts Valencia’s offensive fast (31-26). Jones from two keeps the hosts at +7 (35-28), but ‘Pippo’ Ricci swings his arm from long range: Milan doesn’t give up (35-31). Two free throws by Shabazz Napier allow the Lombards to return to -4 (37-33), with Jones closing the game from three points (40-33). Triple by Ricci and new -4 Olimpia (40-36), with Puerto trying to shake up his teammates (42-36). He thinks about it Nicolò Melli to keep Ettore Messina’s team in contact, with the heavy score of 42-39 with which we go to the long interval.
In the second half the Red Shoes they come out of the locker room better than their opponents: 5-0 break signed by Ricci-Napier and counter-overtaking (42-44). Puerto puts the arrow back on for Valencia (45-44), but the national team player and former NBA player seem in a state of grace and keep Olimpia in front of the half (45-51, with 12 points for Ricci and 15 for Napier). The hosts try to react with Jones and Puerto (49-51), but the Milanese only score from the arc: two triples in a row by Pangos and Napier bring EA7 Emporio Armani to a double-digit lead (49-59) at -2’51” from the third buzzer. Even Billy Baron feels the warm hand from the arc: two bombs that are worth +12 (53-65, with the former Zenit who updates his personal tally to 12 points). Valencia accuses the blow and tries not to let the guests escape: Rivero from two keeps the landlords ten points behind when the third fraction is also archived (55-65).
Milan immediately finds the way to the basket with Melli opening the last quarter (55-67), but Kyle Hines commits an ingenuity on Jared Harper’s three-point shot who also scores the additional free throw (59-67). Stefano Tonut (59-70) also registers in the scorer’s table, with the home team remaining in contact (65-70). Shabazz Napier’s hand in the line doesn’t shake: 2/2 and Olimpia can breathe (65-72), with the number 13 updating their personal tally to 20 points. Again Harper tries to play the charge with the triple of -4 (68-72), but Pangos also proves to have a hot hand from the arc: only retina for the former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard (68-75), who rises to 11 points scored and forces coach Mumbru to call time-out when entering the last 5′ of the match. Excellent exit by the hosts from the minute of suspension with Jones (70-75), but it is still Pangos who repels the assault (70-77). Rivero scores only one of the two free throws available (72-77), with Napier shooting the triple that could be decisive for the fate of the match (72-80). Back and forth between Jones and Melli (76-82), with Valencia trying everything and holding on thanks to Victor Claver (78-82): time-out by Ettore Messina. Finale to the cardiopalma at the Fuente de San Luis Pavilion: Melli makes 1/2 free throws (81-85), but Chris Jones scores the triple for -1 (84-85). Another lap for Napier: 2/2 and +4 (84-88), with Mumbro calling the last time-out available with 4″ on the clock. Captain Melli takes care of putting the seal on the Milanese victory with a very important rebound in attack: ends 84-88, Valencia down and Milan throwing their arms in the sky for the fifth consecutive success in the Euroleague!
THE MATCH TABLE
VALENCIA-EA7 EMPORIO ARMANI MILAN 84-88 (21-17, 21-22, 13-26, 29-23)
Valencia: Harper 15, Claver 2, Puerto 15, Prepelic 4, Pradilla, Webb III 5, Lopez-Arostegui 6, Jones 19, Radebaugh, Evansne, Dubljevic 8, Rivero 10.
Olympia Milan: Davies, Luwawu-Cabarrot, Mitrou-Longne, Pangos 13, Tonut 3, Melli 11, Baron 10, Napier 28, Ricci 12, Shields, Hines 4, Voigtmann 7.
Credit: Ciamillo
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