(PRIMASPORT) MILAN – Olimpia Milano suffered its third consecutive Euroleague defeat, with Real Madrid prevailing by a score of 89-98. Coach Poeta's team lasted a quarter and a half before being outclassed and remains in last place in the Euroleague standings. The first 16-17 minutes were promising, with a determined spirit that continued to compete until the end, with the determined starting lineups led by Bolmaro, Hall, and Mathews, among others. But the end of the second quarter was what doomed Olimpia, with their inaccurate play on both ends of the court. Real Madrid, like a shark, sensed the scent of blood and devastated the game. Shaken, Olimpia failed to respond in the opening minutes of the third quarter. When they did, it was too late and too far behind, though they managed to briefly halve the deficit, finishing 98-89.
In the first quarter, Real Madrid rotated ten players in the first five minutes, even without drawing fouls. Olimpia started by picking up the pace a bit and even taking a few quick shots. Hall hit two threes with two of them. Olimpia made five in the first quarter, including Mathews' buzzer-beater, which gave them a 25-21 lead at the end of the first.
In the second quarter, Olimpia played well for seven minutes, building small leads on numerous occasions, then suddenly lost their way when Facundo Campazzo took center stage. His 10 points and four assists at halftime were the most significant. Real Madrid made 8 of 12 three-pointers, and the sequence created by Campazzo and center Damian Jones at the end of the period was the game-changing one.
In the third quarter, Milan fell behind by 22, allowing a couple of ridiculous baskets, a three-pointer off the backboard, and a lob that ended in the basket with the shot clock running. Bolmaro then held the offense to an 84-67 lead.
In the final quarter, Olimpia came back to within 12 with a missed free throw after an instant replay inbounds. On the counterattack, Andres Feliz hit a three, sealing the game. Olimpia then tried again, coming back to within 11 and playing until the end, but without breaking the deadlock: 98-89 Real Madrid.
Essentially, the game was decided late in the second quarter when Olimpia lost pace on offense and consistency on defense, conceding 32 points in the period, which reversed the good performance they had shown in the previous 16-17 minutes. Real Madrid's shooting percentages were extremely high, especially when the game was on. At halftime, they were 8-of-12 from three. Afterward, they dropped, but not enough. Olimpia hit 11 three-pointers but left seven free throws, and in attacking Tavares's tentacles, too many attempts at the rim and from mid-range were fruitless, 18-of-39, under 50%.
Olimpia returns to the court on Thursday, October 15, again at 8:30 PM, at the Unipol Forum against Dubai Basketball. (PRIMASPORT)