EA7 is slipping on a nightmare night, it doesn’t get supported by three-point shooting (4/31), is unable to control Reggio Emilia’s early get away, tries to comeback but it’s stopping itself when it is within four points. The light is turner off again and after eight consecutive home wins in regular season, loses bad. The only lead is taking place after the first game basket by Hairston. Reggio Emilia responds scoring on four possessions in a row and from that point on Olimpia will never lead again. The biggest margin is 22 points.

FIRST HALF – With Keith Langford unavailable, Gianluca Basile is taking his spot in the starting line-up. Malik Hairston scores the first game field goal posting up Taylor, but Reggio Emilia makes three threes, two with Demian Filloy, and all of a sudden is up 13-2 after 3 minutes, forcing coach Scariolo to call his first time-out. The early EA7 reaction is strong, Basile scores twice and Bourousis dunks. Gentile has a good impact, drawing a foul and scoring two free throws. But Reggio Emilia is still pretty much in control, scores 26 points and is up by 15, 26-11, after 10 minutes. The margin reaches 20 points after one minute in the second period and again after a bank three by Dominic James. Malik Hairston tries to respond with a three-point play, Nice Melli scores over Cinciarini. When Olimpia is again within 15, 19-34, Trenkwalder call a time-out and respond again. The margin blows up to 22, 43-21 with 1’25” to play in the first half. Fotsis, Chiotti and Stipcevic all score, while Hairston misses a thunderous dunk at the buzzer. At the intermission Trenkwalder is up by 16, 45-29.

SECOND HALF – Scariolo is using the same line-up that started the game, Bourousis gives some kind of energy scoring inside. Then there are a couple of promising fastbreaks but the three-point shooting is missing (1/13 in the first half) untile Fotsis makes one and Olimpia returns withing 13, 39-52. The Greek forward keeps going, closes another fastbreak dunking the ball, then passes the baton to Bourousis: Ioannis makes two free throws, tips-in a Gentile’s miss. The margin is down in single digit, when Gentile blocks a Cervi’s shot (and cervi is 2.14) and leading the break dishes an assist for a Melli’s dunk and a foul. It’s 52-58. At the end of the third, EA7 is down by four, after a 25-13 third quarter. A technical called to coach Scariolo pushes back Milano to 10, 56-66. Reggio Emilia gets back in control, the three-point shooting is still missing and two unsportsmanlike-fouls called on Cook and Stipcevic, basically close the game.

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