Keith Langford’s offensive show is the picture of Olimpia’s third Euroleague win, pushing the team up to the second place at the regular season mid-point. Samardo Samuels is fighting like a lion against Ajinca, Nicolò Melli doesn’t score much but keep getting rebounds and blocking shots (two against Strasbourg), David Moss is quiet for three quarters but he explodes for 13 points in the fourth to keep the opponent away. A good win, 83-72, obtained by scoring 49 points in the sceond hald and holding Euroleague leading scorer Ajinca at 16.

THE FIRST HALF – Olimpia’s defense produces two fastbreaks in the first five minutes, one with Gentile and the other thanks to Jerrells. Strasbourg is constantly pounding the ball inside to Ajinca who starts the game with a turn-around jump shot and a thunderous dunk. The French team is going up 9-6 before a Samuels short hook, a Langford’s three and a Jerrells field goal for a 7-0 run. A couple of missed free throws and some turnovers are preventing the margin to get bigger. The first period is closed 19-18 Olimpia. The first half of the second is pretty much the same. Strasbourg is staying in its zone and the three-pointers are not going in. A three-point play by Gentile and an offensive rebound converted by Samuels into two free throws made open up a little margin in a low-scoring game with a lot of energy coming from Melli (two big blocks and a lot of rebounding control) who closes the half with three consecutive free throws to make Olimpia going up 34-28.

THE SECOND HALF – Olimpia goes up by 10 immediately riding Curtis Jerrells and his five consecutive points. When it’s 39-29 he commits a flagrant foul helping Strasbourg to survive. The answer is an 8-2 run bringing Strasbourg back within 4 points. Langford makes one three, Wallace keeps up with Ricardo Greer in a post-up situation, forces his miss, grabs the rebound and on the ensuing possession makes another three. It’s 47-37 but just for a second. Antoine Diot blocks a Langford jumper and scores an easy lay-up to complete another 4-0 run. Langford responds by scoring two threes in a row for the biggest lead of the night, 55-43. Ajinca, sustained by Abromaitis determines another 5-0, Olimpia is zoning and closes the third period with Langford, Gentile and Moss together with two bigs. Strasbourg is getting within four points but Samuels at the buzzer with great timing steal a rebound and scores. 57-51 entering the fourth. The first Moss field goal is a three, Gani Lawal enters the game and makes a thunderous block on Ajinca forcing a 24″ shot-clock violation. Moss scores again on mid-range jumpoer. And still Strasbourg keeps coming back. Campbella makes a three to get down by four and six minutes still left in the game. Duport makes two straight jumpers to get withing two, 62-60. Coach Banchi calls a time-out and Moss makes another three, Melli on a free-throw line jumper pushes EA7 up by seven. Langford makes it an eight-point game with a three, Campbell responds with another three but Moss steals an offensive rebound, Haynes makes two free throws and with three minutes left the lead is again in double digit. Moss scores his 13th point of the quarter closing basically the game.

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