Trento comes close to pulling off feat, Olimpia Milan celebrates
Trento comes close to the feat, Olimpia Milano celebrates
Despite the great character of Dolomiti Energia Trentino, the challenge against Olimpia Milano goes to Ettore Messina’s boys, victorious thanks to a score of 91-86. The Bianconeri led in scoring for 35' then Olimpia Milano resurfaced and found the way out first thanks to Melli, then Mirotic, finally Hall.
Olimpia approached the game passively: Baldwin and Mooney combined for 11 points in four minutes and Trento ran away 18-10 forcing Coach Messina to time-out. The deficit is amplified because Trento riddles the basket from the arc (six triples in the first period), manages to run and Olimpia è very inaccurate shooting. At the end of the first period è 33-20 Trento. Olimpia starts with a little more momentum in the second period. Hines scores both from mid-range and rebounding, in between there's a counterattack generated by Hall and finished by Ricci. The favorable moment è cushioned by a three-point play completed by Biligha. Then on a penetration by Bortolani the gap drops to eight points and it is Coach Galbiati’s turn to spend his time-out. Olimpia got to within five on a triple by Bortolani but Trento immediately answered with a triple by Alviti, then another from long range by Baldwin and the deficit patched up twice to within six returned 11 points. The last basket is scored by Melli (13 points in the first half) and closes the half on 52-44 Trento.
Shabazz Napier attacks the area and scores six quick points, Hall scores eight in four minutes including the triple that reduces the margin to one point. After Galbiati’s timeout, Napier steals the ball and gives Tonut the overtaking lay-up, then Trento restarts with triples by Alviti and Forray. At that point he regained control of operations, while Olimpia continued to suffer on defense. Back to minus one with a jumper by Mirotic, then to minus two on a penetration by Shields punished forò by an immediate counterattack from a basket immediately converted by Forray. At the end of the third quarter è 73-69 Trento.
Olimpia restored parity with two triples, the first by Melli, the second by Mirotic at 75. Then a penetration by Shields gives it the lead. Here Mirotic picks up Alviti’s fourth foul, hits the two free throws, stops Alviti himself and creates an assist that Hines concretizes for plus-six with 3:48 to go. Trent gets into the hands of Kamar Baldwin, who repeatedly attacks the area bringing his team back to within two. In isolation from midrange, Mirotic puts up a crucial jumper, shortly after Hall the two free throws of the new plusù six with 1:24 to go to the buzzer. Trento doesn’t let up. Mooney sews it up to minus four and Niang with a free throw to minus three. Then Hall from the lunette closes the game.
