Olimpia beat Fidenza 76-61, beat a team that had won its group at the Under 19 National Finals, one of the few by which it had been beaten (in the first phase, but then overturned the points difference), and reached the semi-final. Milan played a great defensive game, especially Guimdo, averaging 28 in the first three games, 20 against Olimpia but with 4/17 shooting. Diego Garavaglia did an excellent job in this, less effective in attack than usual but impeccable defensively, obviously helped by the team. Four men scored in double figures, but Riccardo Casella was the protagonist of the first breakthrough in the second quarter with two consecutive triples; and Francesco Marcucci scored five consecutive points towards the end of the first half when Fidenza had come back from behind.
Olimpia commanded 40 minutes out of 40. They started the match by arming Luigi Suigo’s internal play, 5/6 in the first quarter, they immediately took a nine-point lead and closed the first period at 22-16. In the second quarter, he immediately attempted to move forward, punishing Fidenza’s zone defense with three triples in a row, the first from Omar Karem, the other two from Casella. Having reached the 13 margin, Olimpia got a little lost as sometimes happens due to turnovers. Fidenza with a run of 10-2 came back within five. Here Marcucci scored twice: his triple restored his eight-point lead (40-32) at half-time, despite – incredibly – Olimpia never reaching the line also due to the opponent’s conservative choices.
The difficult moment, perhaps expected, came in the third quarter when Fidenza produced its maximum effort. An 8-2 brought them back to within two points. In sequence came three consecutive baskets from Suigo: an assist from Miccoli for a lay-up, a jumper from the corner and a rebound dunk. Then Miccoli extended the lead by turning on a block by Suigo and a three-pointer in transition by Marcucci brought Olimpia back over the double-digit lead at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Fidenza tried again, Milan didn’t score for two minutes but always maintained at least a seven point gap. After a basket from Miccoli, Achille Lonati hit two consecutive triples to reach plus 15. Shortly afterwards he made another one after Badalau’s. The advantage reached a maximum of 19 points, then Olimpia closed at plus 15.
Nex Nippon Fidenza-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 61-75
Fidenza: Di Cola 2, Marchesan Nencini, Cortese, Pezzani 2, Guimdo 20, Usai 3, Bellini 6, Ramponi 15, Miaschi 2, Beltadze 7, Ranieri, Doumbia 4.
Olimpia Milan: Alberti, Casella 6, Miccoli 15 (6/10 2pt, 8 r, 4 a), Karem 3, Toffanin, Suigo 16 (8/10, 5 r), Lonati 13 (2/2 2pt, 3/8 3pt, 5 r, 2 rec), Garavaglia 2 (7 r, 2 rec), Badalau 12 (3/7 2pt, 2/4 3pt, 7 r), Van Elswyk, Zampieri, Marcucci 8 (272 2pt, 1/3 3pt).
