Pallacanestro Trieste pushed Olimpia Milano to the limit before falling 83-79 at the Forum of Assago.
How Trieste Controlled the Tempo Early
Trieste travelled to face the campioni d’Italia on their home floor. Head coach Taccetti’s squad immediately seized control with sharp perimeter shooting and aggressive transition play. Setting the opening unit of Ross, Galloway, McDermott, Deangeli, and Candussi, Trieste matched Milano blow for blow. Candussi and Deangeli sparked an early surge that staked the visitors to a 10-6 advantage four minutes into the contest.
Milano struggled to contain Trieste’s ball movement, even as foul trouble forced Wright to the bench early. Sparked by Ruzzier and Jones off the bench, Trieste maintained its composure. Despite surrendering a 16-7 rebounding disadvantage in the opening frame—including seven offensive boards for the hosts—Trieste claimed a 19-17 lead after ten minutes.
The Mid-Game Momentum Swings
The visitors extended their advantage to 24-20 early in the second quarter behind a triple from Ruzzier and a basket from Canka. However, Milano answered with a 9-0 run powered by Bolmaro and a three-pointer from Cole, regaining a 27-24 lead and prompting a quick timeout from Taccetti.
Trieste refused to buckle. Ross and Candussi steadied the offense before Galloway and Deangeli combined to reclaim the lead, sending the visitors into the halftime locker room ahead 41-38.
The third quarter brought more offensive fireworks. Trieste opened the half with a burst, capped by triples from Jones and Galloway to build a 48-40 cushion. Milano responded through Thompson and Burnell, erasing the deficit to tie the game at 48-48. Undeterred, Trieste unleashed another 9-0 run featuring deep three-pointers from McDermott and Ross, carrying a 64-57 advantage into the final quarter.
Milano’s Late Surge Secures the Win
The campioni d’Italia mounted their decisive comeback in the game’s final minutes. As Trieste’s offense cooled and Jones fouled out, Milano began to exploit its depth. Bolmaro and Wright chipped away at the deficit before a crucial three-pointer from Hall tied the score at 68-68 with 4:45 remaining.
Olimpia Milano methodically pulled ahead in the closing stretch. A subsequent three-pointer by Hall and a driving basket by Burnell stretched the hosts’ lead to 78-70. Trieste made one final push: Deangeli hit from beyond the arc, and Galloway converted a driving layup to cut the deficit to 75-78. Galloway then scored from three with a foul by Wright (not penalized) to make it 78-79 with nine seconds left. Forced to foul, Trieste sent Bolmaro and Wright to the free-throw line, where Milano iced the game to seal the 83-79 final score.
Despite the finish, Trieste earned widespread acclaim for a mature, highly organized performance that proved they can compete with the league’s elite.
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