Another good test for the Olimpia in Vigevano-81-70, the final result-in a game fought for 40 minutes against Tortona playing aggressive, has fast guards and has never spared himself. After a burning start of the first quintet, 16-2, he also had to squeeze mentally to maintain control of the operations. The Olimpia has guided practically the whole race – exceptions a moment of the second quarter – but only in the final period has eliminated in an energetic way. Coach Messina rotated 12 players, he also changed the quintetti. At times everyone did well, even without continuity as always happens in this moment of the season. The next commitment will be Saturday at 20:00 in Brescia.
The first half -The initial quintet of the Olimpia immediately has a partial of 16-2 which also ignores the first time-out spent by Coach Fioretti on 7-0. The peculiarity is that the first five baskets of Milan are signed by five different players, with a triple of Leday and a dash of nebo on Brown’s assist. The game changes when Tortona inserts Preetiss Hubb and Tommaso Baldasso to occupy the midfield, while the second quintet of the Olimpia (Bolmaro, among other things, commits three rapid fouls) on the one hand suffers to contain one against one and the attack beat insufficient racing percentages. Tortona reassembles with a partial of 15-2. At the end of the first period, the Olimpia leads 18-17. In the second period, Tortona puts his head forward, twice with four margin points. Then he returns to command the rhythms Lorenzo Brown. Zach Leday marks five consecutive points. After a few minutes of fasting, Olimpia reconstructs five margin points on 32-27 and the second Fioretti time-out. The advantage twice touches the seven points and gradually the second passage in the field of the second quintet proves to be more productive. A basket with Brooks’s average and a triple from the Cancer corner are followed by the third missile of Pretiss Hubb. At the end of the first half it is 42-38 Olimpia.
The second half – The Olimpia – which in the third period inserts Brooks and Booker in the first quintet – splashes more seven but cannot cross this threshold. Tortona clings to a outburst of Christian Vital to impact at 47. Lorenzo Brown then plays the role of the finalizer. After an unusual 0/2 from the bezel, he hits two consecutive triples, the third marks it Shields and is worth a new one plus seven, 54-47, with Fioretti’s time-out. But the plot of the race does not change. Olimpia extends and Tortona replies. Two consecutive penetrations of Baldasso and Vital still reduce the margin to three lengths before the prowess on the siren of Nico Mannion for the 60-55. At the beginning of the fourth period, with an unpublished quintet, Cancer and Dunston together, three ball carriers, the Olympia proves the decisive extension. Bolmaro marks twice, a basket signs Dunston on Celean’s assist. After two minutes, the plus 11, 68-57 arrives. After the time-out, the Olimpia continues to attack in defense and run in attack. In half of the period, it reaches 16 of the gap. And still Tortona does not give up forcing Olimpia to play to the end to close 81-70.
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Derthona Basket 81-70
Olimpia Milan: Cancar 5 (1/2, 1/4, 3 ass), Mannion 6 (3/5), Brown 13 (3/5, 2/3, 1/4, 5 ass), Ellis 2 (0/2, 2/2 tl, 5 r), Booker 2 (0/2, 0/1, 2/2), Bolmaro 8 (3/5, 2/2 tl, 5 r), Brooks 2 (1/2, 0/5, 6 r), LeDay 12 (1/2, 2/3, 4/4, 6 r), Flaccadori 2 (1/1), Shields 15 (5/5, 1/5, 6 r), Nebo 11 (3/5, 5/8 tl, 6 r), Dunston 3 (1/1, 1/2).
Derthona: Vital 16, Hubb 9, Gorham 13, Manjon 10, Pecchia, Smith 6, Alipiev, Tandia, Baldasso 6, Biligha 10, Riism.
