Italy: Milan wins shock against Virtus Bologna
In a battle of another time, with five players at 30 minutes and a sixth at 29, six players in double digits, and an overtime, Olimpia Milan defeated Virtus Bologna, 102-99. This is the 400th league victory for coach Ettore Messina.
Marco Belinelli, however, did everything to lead his people to victory, scoring a record of 34 points including a huge basket thrown to snatch overtime (95-95). Mam Jaiteh (18 points and 10 rebounds) also gave a lot of himself. But Kyle Weems missed the three-point basket that would have allowed the Virtus to equalize a second time at the end of extra time.
“It was a good game, maybe unexpected, a good exposure for the championship, I hope that many saw it despite the schedule of a weekday,” commented coach Ettore Messina. “I didn’t think we could play like that. We pressed the players we had, I thanked the six young people who allowed us to train, because we were understaffed for a few days. We suffered against Belinelli, and it’s normal, when he plays like that and in the last minute of regulation time, we did too many things in the wrong way, but we had a lot of heart in a night where we have missed so many Frankish throwers in unusual ways. It goes without saying that we are happy, for what is an important victory in these conditions ”.
Photo: Marco Belinelli (Virtus)