Bertram plays a solid match, Milan wins in the last quarter
AX Armani Exchange Milan-Bertram Derthona 72-60
(4-19, 32-31, 51-47)
Scoreboards:
Milan: Kell 2, Melli 10, Grant 13, Rodriguez 11, Leoni ne, Ricci, Biligha, Hall 14, Baldasso ne, Alviti, Hines 4, Bentil 18. Coach Messina
Derthona: Mortellaro, Wright 16, Rota ne, Bellinaso ne, Tavernelli, Filloy 5, Mascolo 1, Severini 3, Sanders 1, Daum 8, Cain 10, Macura 16. Coach Ramondino
Over thirty minutes on par with one of the best teams in Europe for Bertram Derthona, who left the Assago Forum defeated - in a historic first time - only in the final stages of the match. The extra possessions gained especially in the second half made the difference in favor of AX Armani Exchange. For Bertram, a high-level test, from which the team can draw good indications for the rest of the championship.
First minutes of the match with great personality for Bertram Derthona at the Forum: with a high level defense and good offensive fluidity the team coached by coach Ramondino immediately reaches the double-digit margin and maintains it for the entire quarter: at 10' the partial it's 4-19. In the second period comes the reaction of Milan, which raises the level of its game on both halves of the field and manages first to shorten the gap and then to overtake right at the end of the first half thanks to Hall's triple. At halftime the score is 32-31.
Upon returning from the changing rooms, the initiatives of Macura and Daum push Derthona, before Olimpia's counter break achieved thanks to baskets made from inside the area and offensive rebounds that guarantee extra possessions. In the final minutes of the half, Bertram remained in contact, ending the third quarter trailing 51-47. In the final period, Milan tried to give the decisive push to the match, finding baskets even at the end of 24 seconds which widened the gap, which reached double figures (65-55) 3 minutes from the end after Grant's triple. The team coached by coach Ramondino tries to get back in touch, but Rodriguez's triple with 90 seconds left ends the contest: Olimpia wins 72-60.
Thus coach Marco Ramondino at the end of the race: ʺCongratulations to Milan for the deserved victory. Their defense slowly took away our oxygen and we struggled to move the ball as we usually do. Our players tried to execute our game situations, but during the match the inability to play against their very physical and prepared defense led to us not having the physical and mental energy to finish defensive possessions and concede many rebounds attacking players who made the difference. In attack we looked for advantages, building situations dynamics: Milan's defense destroyed a lot of what we wanted to do. When we play against teams of this level we have to adapt and not hope that their level will drop.
