Euroleague results today, Milan wins, Virtus Bologna defeat

Bittersweet is the night of the Italians in the eleventh round of the Euroleague, also characterized by a double round. With Milan still in an emergency (this time also without Nebo) winning 88-87 against Olympiacos, achieving their fourth consecutive success of the European campaign and updating their record to 6 wins and 5 defeats. Great performance by the Olimpia team, which prevailed thanks to a super finish by Ellis and resisted the comeback attempt by Peters and Dorsey. Virtus Bologna, however, in the end succumbed to the barrage of triples from a Barcelona team full of former players (the “best” Shengelia, 10 points, while Punter was deadly, 17 points with 5/6 threes) and still led by deputy Orellana awaiting the return of Pascual in place of Penarroya on the bench. The VuNere lose 88-81 despite an 8-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, before a collapse that confirms the difficulties on the road.

Milan-Olympiacos 88-87

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Olimpia’s feat can be defined as beating Olympiacos at the Forum despite the absences of Shields, LeDay, Nebo and Brown. Coach Poeta, still at the helm due to Messina’s flu, goes 2 out of 2 in the Euroleague: great team performance for EA7, who shoots very well from 3 (13/28) and finds a crazy finish from Quinn Ellis to resist the Greek comeback. Despite the forced choices, Milan responds with a promising start at a high pace (14-7 after just 4′ minutes). Olympiacos responds with a 9-2 run scored by Fournier and Vezenkov, perfect on the line, so Poeta plays the quintet with 4 wingers plus Dunston. Excellent shots arrive, and the American veteran makes the difference: after 10′ it is 27-21, with a sensational 5/7 from 3 for Milan. EA7 keeps the intensity high, Tonut makes an excellent contribution with steals and rebounds, and the advantage exceeds double figures (42-31 at 15′): from there the Milanese attack stops, and the turnovers (6) allow the Greeks to come back with Peters and Dorsey. Brooks, however, takes care of closing the first half in the best possible way: offensive rebound and triple at the end, for 47-43 at the break. In the third quarter, Milan is on fire: it all starts from the defense, aggressive and dynamic, which forces Bartzokas’ team to make difficult shots. Bolmaro is everywhere, and his triple in transition followed by another from Brooks gives him the maximum advantage (63-50 in the 28th minute). The other factor is the strength of the Milanese wingers in offensive rebounding (9-5 at 30′). It is Peters and Dorsey, practically infallible, who keep the Greeks alive. However, Ellis’ final exploit decides the game: at 75-72, with 3’49” remaining, he scores two consecutive triples, a free throw and a layup, and Milan is +3 (87-84) with 14” to play. Vezenkov misses the triple to equalize, and Bolmaro’s final trick (with time up) causes the Forum to explode at the siren.

Milan: Ellis 16, Brooks 15, Booker 13

Olympiacos: Peters 27, Dorsey 25, Fournier 10

Barcelona-Bologna 88-81

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It is not surprising that the Spaniards’ triples (14 out of 33 attempts) were mixed throughout the match, considering that Barcelona is one of the best teams in Europe in the specialty. Twice Virtus gives an important breakthrough and twice Barça recovers with the talent of its players from beyond the arc. After the +6 reached in the 14th minute with a triple by Hackett (27-33), the former Kevin Punter scored four times from the arc on as many attempts, including a basket from mid-court which gave Barça a +2 at the break (45-43). But if Bologna continues to grind out the game and points in the third period (24, compared to the 16 conceded), taking advantage of their physicality and teamwork (with Pajola an excellent conductor), the Spaniards stop scoring from three and go back down. This leads to +8 (61-69) by Virtus in the 31st minute, the pinnacle of the evening for Ivanovic’s team, because immediately afterwards the hosts rediscover the feeling from afar, scoring three triples in rapid sequence. It is only the appetizer of a 16-0 break (for 77-69 in the 35th minute) that definitively splits the match, riding the MVP of the evening, Vesely. With patience, Bologna fought back to -3, but it was now late and another lost ball put out the fire of the comeback.

Barcelona: Punter 17, Clyburn 13, Vesely 12

Bologna: Morgan 17, Jallow and Edwards 13