By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A loss to Trapani Shark in Unipol Forum on Sunday reduced EA7 Emporio Armani Milan to 5-3 in the 2025-26 Regular Season of Italy’s LBA UnipolSai, but was attached to several more issues surfacing for head coach Ettore Messina en route to Round 12 of the EuroLeague Regular Season and another home game with Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv at Unipol Forum on Thursday.
With Leandro Bolmaro added to the injury list with a sore quad, only 11 players suited up, including Shavon Shields, recovering from an illness and missing the preceding double-game week in Europe’s premier club competition. Furthermore, Devin Booker is also questionable for the next continental showing.
“We are facing an additional possible absence with Booker due to a loss in his family. We do not know if he will be able to play,” noted 66-year-old Messina.
Lorenzo Brown (calf), Ousmane Diop (knee), Josh Nebo (concussion), and Nate Sestina (arm) are the remaining players on the injury list.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Marko Guduric has been restricted due to various injuries. “We are trying to manage his minutes until the break, when he will be able to rest for a few days,” said Messina, referring to an approaching pause on the Scarpette Rosse schedule, between November 26 and December 5.
On the positives, Quinn Ellis has thrived through constant injury setbacks for several teammates, averaging 7.6 points and 3.9 assists per EuroLeague game. “We signed Lorenzo Brown to be, let’s say, our starter. He had injuries, but Ellis confidently took his opportunities,” noted Messina.
At 6-5 in the EuroLeague, Milan sits inside the Play-In Showdown zone, one game away from a direct ticket to the Playoffs.