By Alex Molina / amolina@eurohoops.net
Crvena zvezda Meridianbet defeated EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 91–85 on Friday in the opening semifinal of the Crete International Basketball Tournament, securing a hard-fought victory in an entertaining preseason clash.
Moses Wright led Red Star’s offensive effort with 22 points, while Jordan Nwora finished with a team-high 23 points. The Serbian side showed resilience after trailing at halftime and entering the fourth quarter behind Milan.
Red Star started strongly, taking a 17–15 lead after the opening quarter. Wright made an early impact, scoring six points in the first period.
Milan responded in the second quarter, however, turning the game around and taking a 43–39 advantage into halftime.
Milan continued to control the game after halftime. At the end of the third quarter, Olimpia led 67–61, putting Red Star under pressure heading into the decisive final period.
But the Serbian champions responded when it mattered most, producing a strong fourth-quarter performance to overturn Milan’s advantage and finish the game with a 91–85 victory.
The Crete International Basketball Tournament is one of the highlights of the European preseason calendar, bringing together four prominent teams: Armani Olimpia Milano, Red Star Belgrade, Olympiacos Piraeus and Fenerbahçe Istanbul.
The tournament continues later today with the second semifinal between Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe. The winners will meet in Sunday’s final, while the two losing semifinalists will face each other in the third-place game
Esenler Erokspor defeats Anadolu Efes in TÜBAD Mehmet Baturalp Tournament
Esenler Erokspor secured a narrow 77–75 victory over Anadolu Efes in an entertaining matchup at the TÜBAD Mehmet Baturalp Tournament, handing Efes a two-point defeat in the preseason competition.
Bruno Fernando delivered one of the standout performances for Anadolu Efes, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while also recording one assist. Dario Šarić added 11 points, five rebounds and one assist, while Daron Russell also scored 11 points and made a significant contribution as a playmaker with six assists and three rebounds. Matthew Strazel completed an all-around performance with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Santiago Yusta contributed eight points, five rebounds and two assists.
Photo credit: Olimpia Milano
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