Olimpia tames Brescia in Game 1, Messina: “Essential the contribution of everyone.”
L'Olimpia tames Brescia in Game 1, Messina: "Essential the contribution of all"
Olimpia Milano opened with a victory the A1 playoff semifinals series against Germania Brescia, beaten 95-89 at the end of a tight game but almost always led by Ettore Messina’s lineup. The top scorer of the match è was Voigtmann with 21 points, as many as six men in double figures who made up for the bad night of Shields and Mirotic.
For Brescia, a great performance by Della Valle, who scored 33 points, was not enough. " It was an important and difficult victory – said coach Ettore Messina – We played a beautiful first half on offense, although Shields and Mirotic had a difficult night, but everyone else contributed. In the second half we built important advantages, then maybe because of some mistakes in defensive transition and a drop in defense, we allowed them to get back into the game. We know we need everyone to win the series, we will have to take steps forward".
Messina placed emphasis on the team's performance: "If you tell me before the game about Mirotic and Shields's 7 points, I get very worried. Hopefully it will not happen again. In all teams you have to help each other we found points from many others, rhythm and second shots. Voigtmann important baskets, as did Melli, Hall and Flaccadori. Napier, on a not so good shooting night due to a groin problem, passed the ball very well".
A note to the referees: "The many free throws? Hot on the heels of that, it’s hard for me to comment. There are players good at pointing out the foul and others less good at doing that. It è not easy né for those who play né for those who referee. In the end, both teams have the thought that they were underdogs. But we need to do better. That goes for everyone".
