Derthona is pride and heart for forty minutes, but is beaten by Milan in the last possession
EA7 Emporio Armani Milano-Bertram Derthona 83-82
(20-18, 42-35, 58-56)
Scoreboards:
Milan: Poythress, Bortolani 9, Tonut 4, Melli 23, Napier 14, Kamagate ne, Ricci 2, Flaccadori 2, Hall 14, Caruso 8, Hines 2, Voigtmann 5. Coach Messina
Derthona: Zerini 3, Noua 3, Baldi ne, Ross 17, Candi 11, Errica ne, Straūtins 11, Baldasso 4, Severini, Obasohan, Weems 10, Thomas 23. All. De Raffaele
Forty minutes of character, content and unity: Bertram Derthona plays a high-level match at the Forum, resists the attempts to overrun the Italian champions from Milan and, until the last possession, has the chance to win the match. Four players in double figures (Thomas, Ross, Straūtins and Weems) are not enough for the Bianconeri to win the two points.
Bertram made a proactive start to the match, finding Ross and Thomas as the offensive players to extend the lead to 7-13. In the following moments, Milan increases the intensity of their defense to overtake: at the first siren the score is 20-18. In the second period, Derthona remained in contact - finding fluid plays - for a large part of the time, before at the end of the first half, the plays of Caruso and Bortolani pushed EA7 to 42-35 at the break.
Upon returning from the changing rooms, the team coached by De Raffaele produced a great effort and came into contact several times, resisted the various attempts to overrun their opponents and closed the third quarter just two points behind (58-56) thanks to Weems' triple upon expiration. In the last quarter the match flows on the edge of balance, with offensive responses and counter-responses: Milan maintains the lead and places an important mini break with Hall and Napier which is worth 81-73 in the 38th minute. From De Raffaele's time-out, the Bianconeri emerged with a 0-9 score which was worth overtaking (81-82). Hall, in penetration, scores the new overtaking which is also worth the victory for Milan.
So coach Walter De Raffaele at the end of the race: “There is a bit of regret about the end of the match, but I have to congratulate my players for the match we played, in the physical and technical conditions we are in. I believe this is a missed opportunity, because when the game seemed closed, we recovered and took the lead, before poor management of the last two possessions. We take the performance we have achieved and continue to work in a championship that is very tough.".
