Scudetto finals: the first round belongs to Milan
Scudetto finals: the first round belongs to Milan
At the Mediolanum Forum in Assago, game-1 of the finals scudetto goes to AX Emporio Armani Milano that with a great last quarter beats Virtus Segafredo Bologna 92-82. For the hosts 22 points by Shabazz Napier, 15 by Devon Hall, for the guests 19 by Marco Belinelli, 16 by Tornike Shengelia.
Game that starts with a series of unbelievable partials on both sides: first a 10-0 for the Black Vs, then, at the end of the first quarter, a 12-0 for Olimpia that puts its head ahead but at the beginning of the second quarter cashes another 0-10, then the score settles down and we get to the long halftime with Sergio Scariolo’s team ahead 44-36.
About halfway through the third quarter it’s Ettore Messina’s boys who post another partial, this time of 8-0, going on +3, but they can’t shake off their rivals who, with three free throws by Belinelli, get to the last quarter on 64-63. The last ten minutes are all Milan’s that with a partial of 9-0 from 69-69 and total in the quarter of 29-18 even reaching +12, inflicts the first defeat in these playoffs to Virtus.
These are the words of Ettore Messina: “The team was good at holding its own after a mediocre first half. In the second half we turned up the defensive pressure and the contribution of the bench was important. Hall? He did well both defensively and offensively. Important the excellent second half of Melli and Voigtmann. They will now operate countermeasures and we will have to do the same.”
