Ettore Messina (photo Lapresse)
Mike James freezes the Forum, Olimpia Milano falls at home against Monaco
“It was a step forward in terms of attitude and cohesionwe paid for some mistakes but also for the match played just two nights ago (against Maccabi Tel Aviv, ed.) unlike our opponent. We played the game we had to play, then in the end some fantastic plays from Mike James were decisive. But I think it’s important to have taken a step forward. We will continue to work and prepare to do better next week against Valencia and in the following matches.” Ettore Messina analyzes Olimpia Milano’s home defeat (fifth defeat in the Euroleague) against Mike James’ Monaco.
It was the great former player himself who put his mark on the game with 15 points in the second half (21 in total), including the triple to make it 66-70 with 15 seconds left in the game which closed the game.
Olimpia Milano, Davon Hall shines but it’s not enough against Mike James’ Monaco
Shields’ 17 points and 4 assists were not enough for the Italian champions (but also 6 turnovers), Davon Hall’s excellent performance (15 points with 3/4 from 3 and also a good defensive performance), an absolutely positive Tonut (9 points and a lot of defense, even if containing Mike James is a titanic task when the 33-year-old from Portland invents impossible baskets) and the heart of Captain Melli (he grows in the second and in the last quarter he scores a couple of heavy baskets). Mirotic doesn’t reach double figures this time (9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 fouls suffered, but also struggling on the defensive front). Four assists from Maodo Lo, which however fails to give the direction a change of gear. Difficult evening for Voigtmann and gives more shadows than lights Poythress (6 points, but defensive naivety).
“The big quintet, with Mirotic as 3, was used little because they played differently, at times they had Blossomgame as 4. I’ll try to use all the options obviously. We know that on July 20th, with the team virtually finished, the opportunity arose to sign a very high level player like Mirotic. At the urging of our owner we took it. At that point, we had to make room for him as is natural – the words of Ettore Messina in the press room – If he only played as a 4 I would have to take away a lot of minutes from players who always give us a lot like Melli and Voigtmann. If he only played as a 3 I would put him in difficulty because he would have a physical advantage but he would always play in a role to which he is less accustomed. So, we try to adapt and use all possible options. Clearly, the problems we had in the construction phase of the game and the absence of Billy Baron are not helping us.”
Olimpia Milano, Ettore Messina on the exclusion of Pangos and the market
“Pangos was out due to a technical choice, then we’ll see in the future. We are on the market because we are there even when we do well, but it is a difficult market. A great player, who however is a guard, Kendrick Nunn, went to Panathinaikos; two others signed elsewhere, in China and in the G-League; others are not doing well in their EuroLeague teams and could change but today it is not possible to do so. This is the situation, which we are monitoring. But for me today it is it’s important to have the right attitude, the right mentality, then obviously Maodo Lo must get into the role, Flaccadori must find confidence. For now we’re trying to improve like this starting from the championship match and then with Valencia.”
Ettore Messina on the management of Nicolò Melli: “In the fourth quarter he played really well, both in defense and attack, probably with an emotional boost. Resting him would be nice, I tried with Pesaro and obviously it wasn’t the right choice. I didn’t want him to come on the bench, because I feared that, if things didn’t go well, in the end I would have made him play like what happened last year in Naples. By keeping it out I didn’t run that risk. But we paid for it. We will try to manage him, with the athletic trainers, perhaps trying to take away minutes from him with Kamagate who is doing well and also with Caruso.”
OLIMPIA MILAN – MONACO 66-72 (18-13; 37-35; 48-52)
OLIMPIA MILANO: Lo 2, Poythress 6, Bortolani ne, Tonut 9, Melli 6, Ricci, Flaccadori, Hall 15, Shields 17, Mirotic 9, Hines 2, Voigtmann. All. Messina
MONACO: Okobo 3, Loyd 4, Blossomgame 8, Brown 8, Diallo 13, Cornelie 3, Jaiteh 2, Motiejunas 6, Ouattara, Strazel, Hall 4, James 21. All. Obradovic.
Notes: 2-point shots: MI 12/26, ASM 20/40; 3-pointers: MI 10/27, ASM 7/17, free throws: MI 12/17, ASM 11/15; rebounds: MI 32 (Mirotic 9), ASM 33 (James 5); assists: MI 18 (Lo 4), ASM 11 (James 3)
Olimpia Milano, the next races
Ettore Messina’s team Sunday will be on stage at Toasts (4.30 pm), then next Thursday return to the Forum in the Euroleague match against Valencia (ore 20,30).
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