Italian Basketball Playoffs: Olimpia dominates Pesaro with defense and three-point shooting, while Virtus and Reyer also take convincing wins

MILAN-PESARO 94-68
Milan starts the playoffs with impetus to defend its Scudetto with a showdown that also becomes a message to the competition. In match-1 of the quarterfinals the reigning Italian champions easily get rid of Pesaro who immediately loses contact in the first quarter. Coach Messina has to make excellent exclusions among the 10 foreign players on the team, leaving Pangos and Davies in the stands, two of the great summer hits, focusing on Hall and Voigtmann. Just the big German fuels the 15-0 break which orients the game in favor of Olimpia down at the first siren (26-16). Pesaro floats as best he can on Daye’s crystalline class, always nice to look at, but too many turnovers inhibit any comeback attempt. Milan then is surgical for three with Shields who responds well to the expectations of his coach and Datome who puts in three three-pointers from his tile. Comes a 12-1. With 9 team triples, Olimpia can reach +21 (54-33) at the break, also showing a nice ball lap while Napier dominates the duel in playmaking against the ex Moretti, who is in a lot of trouble, and the usual defense from playoff obscures the basket of the Pesaro attack. Baron with 13 points and Shields with 10 are the bombers of the interval. In the second half the music does not change. Milan is in control, manages rhythms and shots at will. Baron’s fifth triple scores +23, Totè is the most active for Pesaro but that doesn’t count: third quarter up 78-56. At the start of the last quarter, Datome again from three updates the maximum advantage (83-56) which reaches +29 in the final. Milan on velvet, a heavy lesson for Pesaro
(Andrea Tosi)
Milano: Baron 19, Datome 17,
Shields 12
Pesaro: Kravic 13, Totè 11,
Cheatham 1o

V.BOLOGNA-BRINDISI 104-68
Virtus enters the playoffs with a tremendous showdown that annihilates Brindisi. There is no story at the Segafredo Arena, the black and whites dominate the game far and wide, overtaking 100 points and taking it 1-0 in the series with a very convincing performance born from the excellent defense that crushes . Cordinier takes the man of the match palm, but all of Virtus runs like clockwork (72% from two, 52% from three and 32 assists), also welcoming the return to the field of Teodosic (12 points and 7 assists in 17′) after almost a month. Virtus’ defensive approach is that of a team that wants to immediately impose its brand on the series and put the game downhill. Brindisi has no space, fails to enter the area and slowly Bologna takes off. At the end of the first quarter, 29-13 is already a photograph of the Bolognese domain, Brindisi has something only from Reed but it’s too little to worry Scariolo’s men who travel on autopilot. Everyone is in the game, the ball moves like a pleasure and the result is a 64-point first half with 72% from two, 50% from three and 16 assists with a +28 which is already a sentence. In fact, the second half didn’t change the order of things and indeed Virtus could afford to put on a show with great plays over the rim and behind-the-back passes, even reaching +36 (77-41) exalting the fans. (Luke Aquinas)
Virtus: Cordinier 15, Ojeleye 14, Teodosic 12
Toasts: Reed 18, Perkins 17,
Harrison 10

VENICE-SASSARI 82-79
Thrilling final in game-1 between Reyer and Dinamo, Venice wins and squanders a 12-point lead in the last quarter and has to cling to Willis’ coldness from the line. The challenge of the 2019 championship final and the 2021 quarterfinals is renewed, Dowe has a great impact on the match (4-10), Reyer who suffers in attack. Diop works better than Stephens on Watt, Sassari deprives to extend (11-17), the center orogranata sews up (16-17), but when Dowe leaves, it is Robinson who takes the chair with 9 points in the fourth (20-29), Tessitori reduces the gap at the first siren (22-29). Second quarter, Mokoka plays the charge by imposing his athleticism on defense on the opponents. Dinamo goes up to +12 (22-34) but then collects the 14-0 break from Spahija’s team (43-39), an excellent impact also from Brooks. Venezia works better in defence, so the attack is more dynamic and Bramos also puts in the triple of +5 (46-41). The inertia of the match is turned, Reyer at +5 (50-45) at the second siren. Reyer has the ball of the match in hand (53-45, 57.47), but Sassari is indomitable, Bendzius shortens (57-54), captain Bramos widens the gap (63-54) with Tessitori who sinks the +11 (65 -54), sewn up by Dowe and Robinson (65-58) at the third siren. Venice seems to have the match in hand when Mokoka stamps +12 from the arc (72-60), Kruslin rekindles Dinamo, but it is an irrepressible Diop who makes Venice tremble (74-71) with 6 almost consecutive points. La Reye trembles, Watt rejects the island assault twice (78-73). Last minute, free throws decide, Sassari reaches one point twice (78-77, 80-79), always rejected by Willis from the line (80-77, 82-79). Last 14”, Venice defends, Bendzius’s triple doesn’t even take the rim. Reyer breathes.
(Michael Countess)
Venezia: Watt 19, Bramos 12, Willis 10 Sassari: Dowe 18, Robinson 16,
Diop 13

Gazzetta dello Sport