Basketball, Milan-Pesaro 80-75: Olimpia goes 2-0 up in the Scudetto play-off semi-final

Milan beats Sassari 80-75 and wins game 2 as well. Olimpia goes 2-0 in the series and on Thursday (9pm on Eurosport2 and DMax) in Sardinia they will try to break through to the championship final. It’s a completely different Dinamo compared to game 1, coach Bucchi’s boys play with great attention and aggressiveness, led by a concrete Bendzius (21 points), forcing Armani to “play” until the 40th minute. After a first quarter in apnea (13-19), thanks to turnovers and shooting percentages (1/7 from 3), EA7 finds a “magical” evening with Gigi Datome’s shooting, scorer of 19 points, who first he puts his team in the game (39-38 at halftime), and then signs the baskets that dig the decisive furrow at the beginning of the last quarter, pushing Milan up to +10 (71-61). In the final, the Sardinians even manage to get one possession (76-74), but mess up and have to bow down for the second time in a row at the Forum, the free kicks by Napier and Baron are decisive for the final 80-75.

First Quarter (13-19): after the sprint start 48 hours ago, Milan has to deal with a completely different Dinamo, in attitude and attention, the Sardinians are good at riding a Bendzius inspired by 6.75, but inaccurate (3/11) despite the high quality in the built shots. EA7 suffers from Sassari’s defensive aggression, collects 6 turnovers and manages to contain the partial of the first ten minutes, closed down 13 to 19.

Second Quarter (26-19): Robinson in gypsy supports the maximum advantage of the guests (13-21), while Messina from the bench draws an inspired Datome, author of 9 points in 4 minutes, which bring Olimpia back to minus 1 (28- 29). Napier’s accelerations give a jolt to the red and white attack, and force the defense to collapse near the iron, with Baron always effective from the arc of the three points for overtaking Milan (35-33). Melli imprecise from the line (1/4), Bendzius still from three (36-38), but Voigtmann replies, to send EA7 forward on 39 to 38 with which the first half closes.

Third Quarter (21-18): Shields and Napier score and also create for their teammates, but on the other side Stephens’ flights (10 points with 5/5 from 2) always keep Dinamo there (47-48 25′). The ballistic show of Bendzius continues (18 points), but it is the evening of Datome, who puts 4 others in line and keeps Milan ahead 60 to 56 with 10 minutes to go.

Fourth Fourth (20-19): Milan tries to extend up to +10 (71-61), but Sassari doesn’t give up, and after 4 out of 23 from 3 in the first 30 minutes, finds 3 consecutive triples that bring them back into the game ( 75-70). Melli makes 1 of 2 from the line, Dowe puts 4 in an amen, and with 46 seconds to go it’s two down (76-74). Shields makes a mistake, but Jones bounces and the ball goes back to Milan; Napier goes 0 on 2, but the rebound is still red and white, and Napier himself makes no mistake this time he goes 2 on 2 with 14 seconds to play (78-74). Bendzius is fouled and makes 1 on 2, Baron is glacial and fixes the score on 80 to 75 final.

Ettore Messina (coach EA7 Milano): “It’s a very important victory, we started by missing many shots, even open shots and we got nervous by making individual mistakes even in defence.
I told the boys the same things as last year, i.e. that the Sassari team is a very strong team that plays with conviction with many arrows in its bow to put you in difficulty, and therefore the matches go like this, once you win well and once time you have to roll up your sleeves, underestimating even their pride. Overall we were too nervous because we thought we could break the game right away and we were good at picking it up solidly in the second half.”

EA7 MILAN : Datome 19, Shields and Napier 14.
SASSARI : Bendzius 21, Dowe 12, Diop and Stephens 10.