Shavon Shields and Nikola Mirotic combined for 50 points and were instrumental in Olimpia big win, 81-76, over the defending champions and league leaders of Real Madrid. Olimpia took the game over late in the first period, when Mirotic entered the court and took the baton from Shields. He led a 21-0 run tha opened up a huge gap that Real Madrid was never able to completely close in spite of a great comeback attempt launched in the second half. “Our first half was amazing, almost perfect – Coach Messina said – then the score was close in the third period when we anticipated a comeback.” The fourth quarter was complicated because of foul trouble and fatigue. Sergio Rodriguez, in his second return to Milan, made two straight threes and assisted Vincent Poirier for an alley-oop dunk. Real Madrid came back within two, but Olimpia responded. “Our defense was outstanding over the last four minutes and so we managed to win the game,” Messina added.
Olimpia led by as many as 21 points and was up by 19 at the half. The lead was still at 19 late in the third quarter after Rodney McGruder scored five consecutive points and the offense had something from Devon Hall’s drives. Real Madrid responded with a 7-0 run that closed the period within 12. During the huge comeback, Shields with a steal and Nikola Mirotic with a corner three allowed Olimpia to stay in control. The last decisive play was made again by Shields when another steal was converted in a trip to the line that essentially ended the game.
Shields had 16 points in the first half and 11 in the second. His 27 points were his second-best offensive output of his career. Mirotic set a career-high by making six threes out of seven attempts. When he entered the court he was fouled and converted two foul shots. Then he proceeded to make four straight threes on his way to a 23-point winning effort. “They were huge because obviously they scored a lot against a top defense – Messina remarked – but defeating Real Madrid takes more. The key was winning the rebound battle, 40 to 31.”
Real Madrid has size and depth inside. Olimpia overplayed the passing lanes to make life hard for Tavares and Poirier inside, and Yabusele too. The 14 offensive rebounds were crucial, too. They gave the team extra shots and some threes were originated by second chances.
