Basketball, playoffs: Milan suffers but goes 2-0 against Sassari

MILAN-SASSARI 80-75
Milan suffers for 40′ but in the end they double their lead in the semifinal against Sassari. The signing is by Gigi Datome, at his season points record, well supported by Napier and Shields. It is the trio that cancels the good test of Dinamo and mortgages the championship final. Now the series moves to Sardinia where game-3 is played on Thursday with Milan having two match balls to close. The momentum of game-2 is very different from the first game. This time it’s Milan that takes bad shots and throws balls away while Sassari shows up with a different face and a different head compared to the one sunk two days earlier at -23. Two initial triples from Bendzius make it clear that it will be a different evening for everyone. Sassari goes above, finding points from everyone: immediately 5-12, then 11-19 while Napier can’t find his shots. At the first siren it is 13-19. In the second quarter, Milan’s comeback, down 16-25, is called Gigi Datome who sinks 8 points in an amen and brings Olimpia back into contact. Here Sassari gets nervous and is punished with two technical fouls against coach Bucchi and play Gentile, both ex of this challenge. Meanwhile, Baron is also warming up, author of two triples that push Milan forward on 36-33, Dinamo is rekindled again due to the counter-overtake by Robinson and Bendzius but the last triple is by Voigtmann who signs the Milanese 39-38 at the break. Third quarter always on the edge of balance, Milan goes to +6 but fails to place the shoulder to get to safety. At 30′ it’s 60-56. Everything is decided in the last period. Immediately Datome hammers again from 3 for +7. Always the Messina veteran hits from the arc, Milan climbs to +10, it seems made for the Italian champions. Instead Sassari reacts and gets back in contact (76-74) thanks to the monumental Diop and the point guard Dowe with 46” to play. Shields makes a mistake but Jones, having recovered the rebound, trivially loses possession of the potential overtime, then Napier, after two errors, makes peace with the line. Game over, Milan smiles but what an effort.

Milan: Datome 19, Napier 14,
Shields 14, Baron 13
Sassari: Bendzius 21, Dowe 12, Diop 10