Basketball, Coppa Italia: Brescia eliminates Milan in the quarterfinals

MILAN-BRESCIA 72-75
The first match of the quarterfinals of the Final Four immediately offers the big surprise: Brescia in crisis throws out the bi-champions of Milan. For coach Magro’s team it’s a feat, for coach Messina’s it’s a sensational flop. Brescia arrived in this Cup as eighth and in the meantime lost other positions, falling into the relegation zone after 6 defeats in a row in the league. When the jump ball is raised, he already seems to be the designated victim of the leaders. Instead, coach Magro’s team has the right energy. Immediately Gabriel lights up from three, Brescia goes on and Milan chases, then the score makes the elastic. Petrucelli enters and gets into production, at the first siren it’s 20-19 for Brescia with Olimpia limiting the damage even if it is evident that they are not in the game. None of coach Messina’s champions has clear ideas, the attack stutters and in fact in the second quarter Brescia decisively takes control of the game by shooting ahead with a 12-2 run led by Massinburg (7 points in a row). Only Tonut seems alive for Milan who continues to lose balls by favoring a counterattack in the open field to the advantage of Nikolic and Gabriel. At halftime it’s +16 Brescia (45-29) with Gabriel at 13 and without Della Valle’s large numbers. At the start of the recovery it is precisely the leader from Brescia who signs the +18. However, the fouls begin to weigh on Brescia while Milan shortens with 2+1 plays. An anti-sportsman also arrives in Petrucelli, so Olimpia goes back to -1 with 19-2 finding 7 precious points from Datome while Brescia’s attack is completely stopped. Then Burns gives oxygen with a 2+1 but Baron scores another 5 points with overtaking then on the third buzzer two free throws from Burns keep Brescia ahead at 56-55. Milan takes over at the start of the last quarter with a 6-0 for 61-56, it seems made for the champions but then Brescia reacts and comes back with a dive from Della Valle who scores two goals from the line for the biancoblù 69-65 with 42” to go. Odiase scores from below then 4 free throws from a glacial Massinburg make it a bang. And what a bang. Brescia is now waiting to meet the opponent they will face in the semifinals. Soon in the Pesaro-Varese field.
Milan: Baron 18, Luwawu-Cabarrot 13, Napier 13
Brescia: Massinburg 15, Gabriel 13, Petrucelli 11