JWSport Jacek Waszak – Sport journalist
Before the game we had the honouring of two players one of them was Nemanji Nedović was honoured by Milan for playing with the home team in the 2021-22 season, Benjamin Bentil and he was the best for Crvena Zvezda because he scored 17 points and 7 rebounds.
Everyone would like to be at a basketball game like this, like the Euroleague or the NBA, it’s amazing and to commentate or write about it or just watch it live in Milan. It is a great experience, I tell you, this atmosphere here, people live sports, especially in Italy basketball, and I got such a chance from the club and the second time I received accreditation as information24 and JWSPORT I will tell you honestly, that it is not easy to get such accreditation and be at such games, you have to write and write, so that they appreciate you for your writing articles or coverage, or even if you do some blog or channel on youtube. Those who do it try maybe you will get to such a match next time .
Coming back to the topic of the Milan team after the end of last year and last month of January Milan still winning and playing for high stakes as we say in the jargon is in play . The hosts have started the second month with good wins and are staying on the wave in the best possible way, and so in this match they won Crvena Zvezda 74-68 at home, surviving a late comeback by the Serbs. It is Milan’s second win in a row, while the Serbs are on a four-match losing streak
The match took place at 19:30 on 2 February in Milan AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan between Crvena Zvezda Belgrade I flew in for a Euroleague match in Italy in Milan was an amazing time and the match turned out to be very good between these teams. Milan scored a double victory at home in the league , and also at home in the Euroleague.
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan again displayed a solid defensive performance as they defeated Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 74-69 on Thursday night in Milan, with the home team not allowing more than 19 points in any of the fourth quarters, which was key to avoiding late rallies and securing their second win in three days.
Milan paid special attention to Zvezda’s top three scorers Luca Vildoza, Nemanja Nedovic and Filip Petrusev. Prior to this game, they were scoring an average of 39.8 points, but for most of the match they could not find their rhythm of play. In the final minute, Vildoza scored just eight points, Nedovic four and Petrusev two.Billy Baron, who played with the red and white Serbian national team in 2018-2020, was the highest scorer for Ettore Messina’s team with 15 points.Brandon Davies, who was named MVP of the round after the first game of the season between Milan and Serbian opponents, finished with 10 points. Devon Hall added 14 very key points.Johannes Voigtmann was a key factor in the win against Baskonia in round 22. The German stretch four also played a significant role against Crvena Zvezda with 7 points and 5 rebounds, helping Milan create a gap before half-time when the Italian team led by 13 points. “An important win against a very aggressive and physical team. It is never easy to win against a team that is on a losing streak. We were tired in the second half and it was my fault because I decided to reduce the rotation because we needed two ball-handlers on the court together. I will try to come back using our reserves. Shabazz had 0 turnovers and that is huge,” said Ettore Messina after the win.After being honoured by Milan before the game alongside Nemanja Nedovic for playing with the home team in the 2021-22 season, Benjamin Bentil was the best for Crvena Zvezda with 17 points and seven rebounds.
On Dusko Ivanovic’s team, Luca Vildoza tried his best to run the offense, but finished with 11 points and only 1/5 from behind the arc.We had a few shots to win the game. We lose one more time, we have to be patient and we will see. It doesn’t matter when we play, our fans are always here to support us. I think we were not patient in the first minutes. In the second quarter we played too many pick and rolls, in the second half we played differently,” said Dusko Ivanovic after the game.Both teams had problems with shots from behind the arc (Milan 5/21, Crvena Zvezda 4/21), but recently their efficiency has increased. The visitors grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, but were unable to capitalise on second-chance opportunities. Crvena Zvezda had a 36-29 run in the second half, but it was not enough.Ettore Messina was without Shavon Shields and Kevin Pangos, who will not return to the game before February, and Tommaso Baldasso, who broke his hand. Also in the side was DeShaun Thomas.
On the opposite side, Dusko Ivanovic was still unable to have Facundo Campazzo, as the Argentine cannot be registered to play in the Euroleague until 28 February. John Holland, Hassan Martin and Miroslav Raduljica also did not play in the match.
Olimpia led the game against Crvena Zvezda Belgrade from start to finish, always in the lead, with important margins, almost always in double figures (high 16), eventually winning 74-68. In the second half, and especially in the end, Red Star tried desperately to get back into the game, but Olimpia sticking to defence, collecting some energetic rebounds and somehow finding the needed points, especially with Devon Hall’s ten-point lead in the second half, brought the victory.
The first quarter began and ,Milan starts with a good game in attack, but with some inattention in defence that cost Red Star easy points. The first attempt is two consecutive baskets and the second one is a three-pointer by Billy Baron to open a five-point lead, 15-10, but the game remains in balance, Red Star in attack finds a lot of good shots, high percentage, often from under the basket, Kuzmic makes 4/4 from the line. The last two points are scored from the line by Shabazz Napier, giving Olympia a four-point margin, 22-18.
I watched the second quarter of the hosts from a very good side and they started very aggressively Kyle Hines hits after a rebound and then sends Voigtmann for a dunk. In the next action Voigtmann hits from behind the arc and Olimpia leads 29-20, forcing coach Ivanovic to take a timeout. The maximum lead reaches 12 points after a three-pointer by Devon Hall. Then follows an empty stretch, with two errors from the lunette, a lost ball that produces a counter closed by Markovic, so it is Messina coach’s turn to use the time-out. Red Star get back to eight points thanks to two free kicks converted by Bentil. Olympia responds with a steal with which Napier sends Tonut to the basket. Davies then hits from the floor and from the line, Baron adds a three from the corner and Milano goes up by 16. Red Star responds by coming out of the timeout with a three by Bentil, followed by a penetration by Vildoza. The last possession, however, belongs to Olympia: Hines collects, then gets an assist from Baron and closes the half at 45-32.
Second half that is, we started after the 15-minute break The third quarter of the game saw the teams start attacking more and playing physical but it is Olimpia Milan who immediately wins with 15 points from Hines, but then scores three losses in four possessions and allows Red Star to get closer. Baron’s three is leveled by Bentil’s three-point play. At 13 points, Napier’s three-pointer is mock-dismissed by a defender and Red Star takes advantage thanks to Mitrovic’s three-pointer and his subsequent hit from close range, making it just eight points at halftime. Here, two errors from the scopes, but also a lot of energy in rebounding. Dunk Melli, after an assist from Davies, restored the 12-point difference for a while, then added another, this time after a suggestion from Napier. At the end of the period, however, the lead was ten points, 59-49.
This is how we started the last quarter . This quarter belongs to visitors from Belgrade because they shoot more and win this quarter 15-19 is 4 points difference but it was not enough . Crvena Zvezda Belgrade went on the attack from the beginning against Milan Lazarevic and Petrusev from mid-range. Davies commits his fourth foul. Meanwhile, Hall hits two free throws and then finishes a penetration from the right side. Two threes by Dobric and Bentil bring Red Star to within five points. Hall once again hits a three from beyond the arc. However, the inertia is in Red Star’s hands, Olimpia must hold on to what they have. Vildoza hits threes. From the scope, Petrusev cut it to minus four. revived in the fourth quarter to bring his team to within 72-68 in the final minute, it was their shooting balance that was very good. Vildoza scored 4 points on 12 attempts, Nedovic hit 2 of 9 shots from the game and Petrusev was 3 of 7 at the end. In the toughest moment, Voigtmann’s hook makes Milan breathe at the start of the final sprint. Here Napier hits two free throws, Hines snatches an offensive rebound, his specialty, which closes the game with a deserved 74-68 victory for Olympia.
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan – Crvena Zvezda Belgrade 74-68
(22-18, 23-14, 14-17, 15-19).
Olimpia Milano: Davies 10, Luwawu-Cabarrot 8, Mitrou-Long n.e, Tonut 3, Melli 4, Baron 15, Napier 5 (5 ast), Ricci, Hall 14, Hines 8 (5 reb), Datome n.e, Voigtmann 7 (5 reb). Coach Messina.
Crvena Zvezda Belgrade : Vildoza 11, Lazarevic 1, Mitrovic 7, Lazic, Dobric 7, Ivanovic n.e, Ilic 5, Nedovic 4, Markovic 3, Kuzmic 4, Petrusev 9, Bentil 17 (7 reb). Coach
