By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
An 11-0 run stretching between the first and the second half lifted TD Systems Baskonia over AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milano, 86-69, on Friday at home.
Pierria Henry backed by a ten-point effort in the third quarter went for 19 points topping the list of scorers in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 31 contest. Achille Polonara posted a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double. Zoran Dragic added 15 points and Rokas Giedraitis produced 14 more points.
The team coached by Dusko Ivanovic, fresh off Tonye Jekiri being sidelined six to eight weeks, secured the third win in a row assuming control in the second half after a back-and-forth affair through the first 20 minutes. A 16-6 run to start the second half shaped the first double-digit lead.
“I think that especially in the last quarter, we played very good defense. And generally, we played very good defense for 40 minutes. But in the third quarter, we had some players with inspiration,” noted the Montenegrin boss, “We played better on offense and had easy baskets. I think we deserved the victory. When we play fast, we play better than we play slowly, five against five. We can play also good that way, but we are better when we play fast.”
Despite making only 1/15 triples in the first half, the Spanish club improved to 17-14. The approaching double-game week featuring an away game versus Panathinaikos OPAP and Anadolu Efes visiting the Fernando Buesa Arena will largely determine if a playoffs ticket will be coming to Vitoria-Gasteiz.
“We executed our game plan and believed in one another,” pointed out Henry, “In every possession, you have to give all you got. And you better believe. Every last one of my teammates is going to sacrifice his body and push until exhaustion.”
“Everybody is fighting. Everybody wants to play the playoffs, so we need to fight for three more games,” added Italian forward Polonara, “I can play another game! We are ready for another game.”
Sergio Rodriguez finished with 12 points, eight of those before the break. Kevin Punter earned a team-high 13 points. Shavon Shields, Luigi Datome, and Jeff Brooks had ten points each.
“Their intensity in both offense and defense decided the game. We were not even close,” admitted Ettore Messina, “They deserved to win. We were not at the level required.”
Milan held to 13 points in the third period fell to 19-12 missing a chance to boost its own playoffs bid with Malcolm Delaney and Jeremy Evans on the injury list. Its three-game EuroLeague road trip will conclude next week against Crvena Zvezda mts Tuesday and Panathinaikos OPAP Thursday.