Brooks (26 points) and LeDay (15) lead Poeta’s team. Against the Greeks comes the eighth victory in 15 games for EA7 in the Euroleague
The Forum is not a land of conquest for the Athens teams. After Olympiacos, Panathinaikos also falls to Assago, unable to stem Milan’s excellent attack. The percentages for Poeta’s men were decisive, as they won 96-89 shooting 12/21 from 2 and 17/33 from beyond the arc, with 20 total assists. Brooks (26 points) and LeDay (15) were dominant. Eighth victory in 15 games for EA7 in the Euroleague. Ataman’s men fell for the second time in a row in Europe (the sixth in total) and suffered the greatest intensity of their opponents. 17 points from Nunn and 19 from Sloukas were not enough.
HOT BROOKS
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Milan welcomes Panathinaikos to the Forum by putting a lot of pressure on the ball and trying to penetrate. As the minutes passed, however, Ataman’s team, after Nunn’s first one-on-one displays, began to make the greater physical size pay under the basket, triggering Faried and taking advantage of Sloukas’ penetrations. The Greeks break (12-0) and try to escape, but EA7 reacts with Brooks and Guduric. This is the couple that shifts the balance for Poeta in the second quarter. The hosts closed the area better in defense (conceding 18 points in the second period) and benefited from the Serbian’s tactical intelligence (5 assists in the 20th minute) to build shots in rhythm. Milan grows offensively and above all sees Brooks explode (20 points, 6/9 from 3 at halftime), who scores several triples in a row and marks the 12-0 run that puts the inertia of the match in the hands of Olimpia (52-36 at 18′).
LEDAY AND MANY TRIPLES
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EA7 began the second half with the same energy as at the end of the first, forcing some turnovers for Panathinaikos and capitalizing with LeDay and Shields in transition and from the arc (67-48 at 24′) after a 3-point play by the former Partizan player. Milan continues to play with great energy and pace, contesting all the shots of Ataman’s men, who struggle in the offensive phase. After Bolmaro’s 2/2, Poeta’s men reach +23 (80-57 a few seconds from the 30th minute). In the fourth quarter the script of the match does not change, Olimpia manages the advantage, and scores from 3. The hosts resist the Greeks’ late attempt to come back (95-88 in the 39th minute) after a basket by Grant. Sixth victory in the last eight in the Euroleague for Milan.
Milan: Brooks 26, LeDay 15, Shields 13 Panathinaikos: Sloukas 19, Nunn 17, Hernangomez 13
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