Basketball, EA7 Olimpia Milano-Virtus Bologna 74-63

Milan celebrates in match number 200 against the bitterest rivals of this contemporary era of basketball. For Ea7, who vice 74-63, it is the consecutive success in the championship, which costs Virtus Bologna the first place in the standings in favor of Brescia. Low score, tiredness and absences (seven from Olimpia, including Bolmaro) as a consequence of the European efforts, and the home leader at the moment, Armoni Brooks, who with 23 points outclasses Carsen Edwards (11) in the duel between phenomena. Well supported by LeDay (14) and Nebo’s almost double double (14 for him too with 9 rebounds). But Milan’s defense is above all decisive in the key phases of the match.

Milan-Virtus Bologna 74-63

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Break and counter-break in a first half that ends in a draw (35-35). Peppe Poeta’s tie flies away immediately after Virtus’s initial outburst (0-5) and yet it is his team that then takes off. First taking advantage of the opponents’ offensive messes, they transformed a 9-0 break with Brooks as the protagonist and author of the triple for the first lead (19-9) into double figures. Then riding on LeDay and Nebo’s physicality (10 points in 8 minutes) for the +12 at the start of the second quarter, which instead is all Bolognese. If both waste a few possessions, Ivanovic’s team rises to the level, passes the ball better and enjoys the favorable pairings of Smailagic and Niang against Ricci and Booker. In addition to the Carsen Edwards factor: when he starts scoring threes, in fact, Virtus goes on an 11-0 run which allows them to get back on track (31-31) after 17 minutes.

Olympia continues

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Balance is also guaranteed at the start of the second half with the duel from the arc between Brooks and Vildoza, who manages to put Bologna again at +5 (45-38) in the 26th minute. But Virtus doesn’t seem to have the strength to escape and an unsportsmanlike whistle on Jallow turns into the fuse that restores inertia to Milan. So Brooks and LeDay place two very heavy hits, valid for a new lead (46-45). Virtus gets stuck both under the basket and from outside, while LeDay and Brooks remain as hot as stoves and produce a fundamental +9 (58-49) at the end of a third quarter in which the opponents are limited to 14 points scored. Opening to a double-digit lead (66-54, +12) in the 33rd minute, when Shields also hit a three. The VuNere continue to struggle, crushed in the grip of Olimpia who works really well behind them. Guduric’s entry into the match also makes a recovery more difficult, driven above all by Vildoza, who scored the points -6 (68-62) three minutes from the end. But the comeback never comes to fruition and LeDay closes it.

Milan: Brooks 23, Nebo 14 and LeDay 14

Bologna: Vildoza 13, Smailagic 12, Edwards 11