By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
AX Armani Exchange Milan never trailed on the way to the 78-61 victory versus Bertram Tortona in the Italian Cup final Sunday.
Italian big man Nicolo Melli paired 14 points with nine rebounds and Devon Hall contributed 12 points in the balanced offensive effort. Malcolm Delaney added ten points. Konstantinos Mitoglou (foot), Shavon Shields (wrist), Riccardo Moraschini (suspension), Trey Kell, Jerian Grant, and Kaleb Tarczewski were not available.
The team guided by experienced tactician Ettore Messina allowed a double-digit advantage shrink all the way down to a one-point lead in the third quarter of the Final Eight championship fixture. Reestablishing safe distance in the fourth period led to the blowout and the eighth Cup in team history, tying Virtus Bologna and Treviso on top of the list of the most successful Cup teams in Italy.
Tortona took down Allianz Pallacanestro Trieste and Virtus Segafredo Bologna to reach the final of the tournament held at Pesaro but fell short of winning it all. Xavier product J.P. Macura finished with a game-high 17 points in his side’s first appearance in an Italian Cup final.
The team based in Milan eliminated Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari and Germani Brescia before putting an end to Tortona’s dreams. Coming up next, Olimpia Milano will travel to Greece to collide with Olympiacos in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 27 action Thursday. They currently sit third in the standings at 17-7, while the Greek outlet follows in fourth place carrying a 14-9 W-L tally.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net