By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
Olimpia Milano bounced back in the Italian championship with an impressive win over Varese after the defeat on the road against ASVEL in the EuroLeague. However, it couldn’t count on Alex Poythress.
Dominating at the recent 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers with Ivory Coast, posting up 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during the latest FIBA Windows, the former Zenit Saint Petersburg and Maccabi Tel Aviv center returned to Italy with a severe injury.
Commenting about the Ivorian center’s absence in the game against Varese, Ettore Messina revealed his status. “I’m not the doctor I don’t wanna say [unexact things], but he returned from the games with Ivory Coast with a sort of hemiparesis on his face. It’s unknown if it comes from nerves or virus”, he said.
“He tried to play against ASVEL, but it hurts him”, Ettore Messina added before commenting about other health issues around the team. “[Nikola] Mirotic doesn’t feel well, he had to take fluids. About Shabazz [Napier], his foot is finally deflated but he wasn’t ready to play”, the Italian head coach said.
“Stefano [Tonut] is out due to a wrist injury. I hope to recover Nikola [Mirotic], Shabazz [Napier], and Diego [Flaccadori] for Tuesday. I don’t know about the other two [Alex Poythress and Stefano Tonut”, Olimpia Milano‘s head coach finally commented.
PHOTO CREDIT: 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers