By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Sergio Rodriguez scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists for his first double-double this season to lead Olimpia Milano to a 92 – 88 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in a clash between two top-placed teams.
Rodriguez also hit a key 3-pointer that handed his team a double-digit lead 87 – 77 with 2:45 remaining and sent the assist to Luis Scola for the latter to make it 90 – 82 with a minute left to play. The Argentinian veteran big man finished with 20 points and received an ovation, together with Rodriguez, when coach Ettore Messina substituted them.
“It was great, we bounced back from the last two losses we had in the EuroLeague at Khimki and here in the [Italian League],” Rodriguez said to EuroLeague TV. “We’re a strong team, we compete very well and we have to keep going, especially here at home. For everybody, it’s easier when we play with a lot of energy. We are a team capable of competing very well and I feel especially comfortable with a lot of energy.”
Milano celebrated a victory that improved them to 7 – 2. A fitting result for the team to combine with the retirement ceremony of club legend Dino Meneghin’s jersey. Maccabi saw it’s six-game winning streak getting snapped and dropped to 6 – 3.
“It’s a huge win for us. I thought they were the best team in the EuroLeague so far. They come into our place and coming off a great win by 40 on the road. You know, it’s a game of runs and we’re going to make a run and they’re going to make a run and it’s whoever can get the best run and hold on to their run the best is the one who has the best chance to win,” Scola said.
Scottie Wilbekin notched a game-high 25 plus five assists for Maccabi before being forced to exit the game after getting injured while hitting the 3-pointer for the 88 – 82. Tyler Dorsey added 14 points and Tarik Black 12 points and nine rebounds for the Israeli side.
“It’s tough to lose, but still, I congratulated our players for the fighting spirit they put on tonight,” Maccabi coach Giannis Sfairopoulos said. “Every time Milano took a small lead, we responded, didn’t give up, and it is important we fought until the last second of the game. I want to give a big hug to our fans that came here to Milano. Their voice was in our ears to fight until the end. I want to congratulate Milano and my friend Ettore Mesina.”
Coach Ettore Messina returned the favor: “I have enormous respect for Giannis. For coach Sfairopoulos. I think he’s done very very well, everywhere he’s been coaching. This team doesn’t only play with a typical pride of Maccabi but they also play very efficiently, I think. It’s not easy to play against them. Every time there’s a timeout or a substitution, you have to be very alert because he can change the lineup on the court completely or come up with a smart adjustment. On the one side, it’s something you enjoy as a challenge, on the other side you would like to see something not as good as him. On the other side of the court.”
“It’s my players who do it”
Olimpia Milano has got off to an excellent start in the EuroLeague regular season. After the win over Maccabi, coach Messina wanted to give all the credit to his players.
“You always ask me how I do, but I don’t do anything, it’s my players who do it,” Messina said. “I think it was a great team effort against a very, very good Maccabi team. We had the lead for most of the game and if we don’t turn it over two or three times, we probably could have won with a much more comfortable margin, but the players gave everything and we had some very good moments. It’s really funny because when you play at home, you probably have a lot more pressure than when you play on the road. You think about this home-court advantage and it’s not easy to play at home. We have a marvelous crowd, the people from Milan are supporting us and that’s very important.”
Photo: EuroLeague Basketball