By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
TURIN, Italy – Last year at this moment Brescia was celebrating on the court of Inalpi Arena, leaving Milano hopeless and eliminated to start the 2023 Italian Cup. In 2024, things drastically changed, with the red-and-white team that absolutely dismantled Trento 80-57.
Shavon Shields, who faced Milano as Trento’s leader back in the LBA Finals 2018, had the usual effective performance of 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists for Ettore Messina’s team, which reached a 21-0 run between the second and third quarter. Johannes Voigtmann added 14 points and 6 rebounds.
Paolo Galbiati’s team, which suffered a heavy 35-6 scoring run from the opponents before and after halftime, didn’t have the 2003-born sensation Quinn Ellis. Davide Alviti, who played from 2021 to 2023 with Milano, had 9 points over 3/4 from beyond the arc. Prentiss Hubb had 12 points and four assists.
Nothing really different was expected, considering how the two teams came to the Inalpi Arena in Turin. Trento, already eliminated from contention in the EuroCup as well, was coming off four defeats in the previous five games, while Milano hasn’t known the word “defeat” in Italy since the start of 2024.
Milano will now face Umana Reyer Venezia, who beat Estra Pistoia in the second game of the first day of action. On Thursday, Virtus Bologna will square off against Reggio Emilia, followed by the latest Quarter-Final of the competition between the reigning champions of Brescia and Napoli.
L’alley-oop di Shields per Hall e la stoppata di Alviti tra le migliori giocate del primo quarto di finale di questa Frecciarossa Final Eight tra @OlimpiaMI1936 e @AquilaBasketTN 🏀#TuttoUnAltroSport pic.twitter.com/1UKuqMqhk9
— Lega Basket Serie A (@LegaBasketA) February 14, 2024
Absolute show in Reyer Venezia’s win over Pistoia
While the first game saw a complete dominion by Milano over Trento, the second of four Quarter-Finals showed more balance between Umana Reyer Venezia and Estra Pistoia, with the former beating the newly promoted red-and-white side 86-71.
Since the first quarter, what looked like a dunk contest was displayed on the court, with Rayjon Tucker as one of the main protagonists, ending with 23 points and 7 rebounds. Mfiondu Kabengele, who joined Venezia midway through the season, had a dominant double-double of 13 points and 13 boards.
On the opposing side, which was missing from this stage for eight years, the deadly duo composed of Charlie Moore (17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) and Derek Ogbeide (14 points) wasn’t enough to come out with the victory. Jordon Varnado showed glimpses of his older brother Jarvis and contributed with a losing effort of 13 points.
2024 LBA Italian Cup Final Eight
Quarter-Finals
EA7 Emporio Armani Milano – Dolomiti Energia Trentino 80-57
Umana Reyer Venezia – Estra Pistoia 86-71
Virtus Segafredo Bologna – UNAHOTELS Reggio Emilia (15/02 at 18:00 CET)
Germani Brescia – GeVi Napoli Basket (15/02 at 20:45 CET)
Semi-Finals
EA7 Emporio Armani Milano – Umana Reyer Venezia (17/02 at 18:00 CET)
Virtus Bologna/Reggio Emilia – Brescia/Napoli (17/02 at 20:45 CET)
PHOTO CREDIT: EA7 Emporio Armani Milano