Olimpia defeats Brindisi without worries, league leaders Germani defeats Reggio Emilia, Bologna easily with Scafati, while Reyer annihilates Pistoia. In the end, Treviso’s saving grace takes Trento. From Wednesday to Sunday the Final Eight of the Italian Cup in Turin
Against Brindisi comes the sixth consecutive victory in Serie A for Milan (69-55) which, combined with the one against Real, allows them to reach the Final Eight with maximum morale. Venezia returns to win in the championship, in a match without history against Pistoia (96-69), which they will then meet again in the Italian Cup. Virtus also responds (fifth consecutive victory in the championship) which sweeps away Scafati (94-67) and maintains second place alone. Brescia responds to the leading group and beats Reggio Emilia 86-63. Fifth victory in a row for Magro’s team in the championship. Now league leaders Germany can think about the Italian Cup where they will face Napoli. The Neapolitans instead fall to Cremona 90-83. Vanoli proves to be more continuous throughout the match and in the final minutes runs away thanks to the Pecchia-Denegri duo. Treviso saves by beating Trento away, after having come back from over 20 points. (ends 82-85). A triple by captain Zanelli decides with two seconds left. Closing the twentieth day of Serie A is Varese’s victory against Pesaro (91-80). For the Marche region it is the eighth defeat in a row. Next week there will be space for the Italian Cup, which will be played in Turin from 14 to 18 February. The quarter-finals will be played on Wednesday 14th (Milan-Trento and Venice-Pistoia) and Thursday 15th (Brescia-Naples and V.Bologna-Reggio Emilia).
Venice-Pistoia 96-69
—
Good news for Reyer, bad news for the Tuscans given that this match will be repeated on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup. A match in which Pistoia is called upon to find countermeasures to the attack of Venezia, which dominated the match far and wide. It immediately ran away with Tucker (the best and author of 20 points scored) and Tessitori, while in defense it filled the area well, putting Pistoia in crisis as they found nothing from three points at the start of the match (0/7 and then 2/ 20 in the middle of the game) and less than usual in general given that it is one of Estra’s best weapons. At 20′ Venice’s 51-22 explains well a match without history, in the same way as the 123-59 final score, with Pistoia only winning the last quarter. In the third period the locals closed the score at +29 thanks to a triple from Casarin, while the Tuscans lost Varnado due to a blow to the shoulder against the advertising LED and are waiting to see if they will be able to use him in the Final Eight.
Venice: Tucker 20; Heidegger 16; Wiltjer 15
Pistoia: Hawkins 21; Moore 10; Willis 8
milan-brindisi 69-55
—
Victory never in question, even if Milan does not spread thanks to the merits of Brindisi, and continues their unbeaten streak in Serie A into the new year. In addition to the injured Baron and Lo, Messina leaves out Poythress and McGruder who is still not employed in Italy, and precisely because of the way the match is going, he manages to rotate all the men, giving 20 minutes to Bortolani and 7 to Caruso. The Messina team makes another great effort in defence, letting Brindisi shoot with 25.5% (13-51), a key aspect on an evening in which neither attack puts on a show. A shot from Bartley puts Happy Casa ahead by one (13-14) in the 10th minute until Milan makes the first push in the second quarter: only 11 points conceded in 10 minutes and the first break of 9-0 opened by Hines and Mirotic and boosted by triples from Ricci and Bortolani for +7. Shields and Napier gave Olimpia a double-digit lead before the break and it was the start of the breakaway which reached +16. Sneed (17 points with 6 assists and 4 steals) tries to keep Brindisi clinging to the game, even when Mirotic comes unstuck from the arc, but Milan only looks forward and Voigtmann also lights up in the final.
Milan: Napier 11; Voigtmann 10; Melli and Mirotic 9
Toasts: Sneed 17; Morris, Laszewski and Bayehe 10
Trento-Treviso 82-85
—
A crazy game ends with a triple from Treviso’s captain, Alessandro Zanelli, on the last possession and the score is 82-82. Dragged by the trio Harrison, Olisevicius and Allen, Nutribullet changes gear in the second quarter, won 33-12, and then reaches +23. Trento responds with a 12-0 break between the final quarters which reopens the games (59-64) and in the fourth set, while Treviso loses a few too many balls, opening itself up to the shoulder of Alvini and Grazulis which is worth -1 and then also the draw (80-80). They even reached a draw in the last possession, the one in which Zanelli froze the premises.
Trent: Grazulis 23; Baldwin 18; Biligha 10
Treviso: Harrison 19; Olisevicius 16; Allen 12
cremona-napoli 90-83
—
Important victory for Vanoli, which interrupts the streak of three consecutive defeats. After hesitating in the first minutes of the match, Napoli found the right key to evade the zonal defense deployed by Cavina and broke free from the arc. Cremona moves the ball less well, but can count on a very hot McCullough from the start (12 points in the first 10′). In the second quarter, Vanoli’s attack materializes: Gevi’s attack stops again, while the home team gets excited from long range and tries to run away. Upon returning from the changing rooms, the guests came back into contact thanks to Ennis’s blazes, but in the final minutes they paid for another moment of inattention: the Pecchia-Denegri duo sensed the opportunity and placed the decisive push for Cremona’s victory.
Cremona: Denegri 19, Pecchia 14, McCullough 13
Naples: Ennis 21, Sokolowski 16, Pullen 15
Virtus Bologna-Scafati 94-67
—
Banchi’s team bounced back strongly from the home stop suffered in the Euroleague by clearly beating Scafati at the Segafredo Arena. Belinelli is the protagonist of Virtus’ excellent start to the match: in addition to scratching his opponents from the arc, the former NBA player serves his unmarked teammates great when the defense collapses on him. Givova (without Gentile) immediately finds herself chasing, but has the physicality of Pinkins on her side, which at least limits the escape of the black Vu. In the second half Segafredo’s offensive production grows further, as does the gap between the two teams. There is little that Scafati can do: Boniciolli’s men raise the white flag and allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the Bolognese battleship, which even reaches a +30 advantage in the final minutes.
Virtus: Belinelli 18, Abass 15, Zizic 12
Scafati: Pinkins 16, Robinson 13, Rossato 11
BRESCIA-REGGIO EMILIA 86-63
—
Brescia immediately directs the match in the first 5′, with a 14-0 run, showing excellent offensive intensity. At 10′ it’s 29-10 for Germani. Bilan and Ake continue to score, the hosts do not take their foot off the accelerator. Grant tries for Reggio Emilia, but it’s not enough. 53-27 for Magro’s men at the long break. La Leonessa continues to dominate in attack with Christon and Gabriel. 67-36 at the third mini break for the Lombards. The last quarter has little to tell, Brescia wins and can now think about the Italian Cup.
Brescia: Gabriel 20, Della Valle 15, Petruccelli 13
Reggio Emilia: Galloway 16, Faye 13, Vitali 10
VARESE-PESARO 91-80
—
The hosts start strong in attack and try to escape (24-12). Pesaro with Mazzola and Tambone (who catches the joker from 10 meters at the end of the first quarter). At the first siren it’s 29-21 for Openjobmetis. Sacchetti’s men return to the field and post an 8-0 run, interrupted by Brown. The match returns to balance, becoming point to point until Bialaszewski’s team reaches 47-43 in the 20th minute. A super Woldetensae comes out of the locker room and makes the difference by being ready for off-ball shots in attack and working well in defence. Vuelle missed some opportunities, but remained in their wake thanks to offensive rebounds (18 in the 30th minute). At the third buzzer the home team led 69-64. Ulaneo scores 4 points in a row to open the final period. Openjobmetis tries to escape with Moretti and Brown. For Pesaro the hopes of victory ended with the expulsion (for a double technical to Mcduffie). In the final, Bialaszewski’s men managed the result.
Varese: Brown 18, Hanlan 17, Mannion and Moretti 12
Pesaro: Mcduffie 16, Bluiett and Cinciarini 14, Ford 12
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED