The newly promoted Napoli hosts the Italian vice-champions of Olimpia, the first match of the new LBA 2021/22. Sacripanti’s team returns to Serie A after 13 years, Milan takes the field again after the defeat in the super cup final.
Melli’s points, free and a 3-pointer, are the first of the new LBA season. The hosts are imprecise in shooting, Datome scores out of rhythm and it is finally Elegar, with feint and dunk, to move the score of Naples, 8-2 after three minutes of play. Mayo responds twice to the triples of Shields and Mitoglou, Parks signs up for the race and Marini scores from afar for the 13-16 in the first quarter. Ricci is ready from the corner, Tarczewski supports the +6 and GeVi does not take full advantage of a couple of opponents inattention, with the excellent Marini still realizing after Rich’s mistakes: 18-21 the score after ten minutes .
It is immediately parity with Parks’ bomb, Sacripanti’s men work well at defensive rebound but fail to materialize, so Shields punishes with 2 + 1. Uglietti concludes the counterattack launched by Velicka, Mitoglou leads Milan in attack and the white-red defense levels up, building thanks to free throws the 33-23 at minute 17. McDuffie unlocks, Olimpia touches the +12 with one unleashed Shields and on the other side the stolen with a dunk by Parks tries to awaken the audience and companions. Delaney from three and McDuffie on the cut close the first half, 42-31 Lombard advantage.
Parks and Mitoglu pick up where they left off, Datome throws the AX on +17 and after the basket from Mayo’s corner it is again Delaney who scores, 40-52 with a blue mini-break thanks to the former Varese and the counterattack of Marini . Hall is perfect from the arc, Velicka invents in precarious balance but Milan punishes, with the perfect circulation of the ball and Datome’s central triple. The GeVi continues to fight with the line (1/6), Parks flies to stop Grant but Napoli struggles enormously against the opponent’s physicality, timeout on the field with less than 2 minutes in the fourth. Messina’s team increases the advantage with Tarczewski, an invalid basket on the siren but still comfortable 60-44 in the final of the third period.
The first points in Grant’s Armani shirt, and Rich’s unsportsmanlike, are worth +19, Velicka takes advantage of the space granted and transforms his first triple but the road to the comeback is long, at 47-63 at 33 ‘. Milan stops in attack, Parks and Uglietti support from below and the Lithuanian signs the -10, immediately pushed back by the triple by the former captain Italbasket. Melli and Mitoglu with two rivals enrich the 7-0 partial which effectively closes the match, with two minutes remaining to play. McDuffie completes the three-point play, Parks continues in his personal dunk game and despite the 9-0 final Olympia victory is still 73-63.
For coach Messina a race certainly not brilliant but incisive, taking advantage of the greater tonnage available (18 offensive rebounds) and building the first success in the LBA with the intensity in defense. Naples tries until the end, sins from the line and actually gives two foreigners, with Elegar and Rich still at 2 total points.
Naples: Parks 15, Velicka 12, Marini 10, Mayo 10, McDuffie 9, Uglietti 4, Elegar 2, Zerini 1
Milano: Datome 13, Shields 13, Melli 10, Mitoglu 10, Delaney 8, Hall 7, Tarczewski 6, Grant 3, Ricci 3
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