The first home game of 2026 has a nostalgic feel, against Udine after nearly 40 years. The game will be played at the Allianz Cloud, as it was the one against Cremona, with the clear goal of extending the winning streak that has allowed Olimpia to secure a spot in the Italian Cup Final Eight and to climb to its current third-place position in the standings. The streak has reached four games—Trento, Bologna, Cantù, Cremona—and now the team is aiming to make it five with the return of Diego Flaccadori, who has played only six games and 37 total minutes so far. The game will be far from easy: Udine—after a slow start—has won four of its last five games, putting itself back in the running for a spot in the Final Eight. Moreover, Olimpia will be playing on short rest after an unsuccessful EuroLeague trip to Bologna and on the eve of a double-week round in the same European competition. However, it can ride the enthusiasm of its center, Josh Nebo who was named player of the month in the Italian league, after averaging 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and a 24.5 of personal rating in December.
Tip off time on Sunday, Janury 4th, in Allianz Cloud, will be 18:00
Congrats Big Fella!!! 👑 https://t.co/jJaRJsy0nS
— Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) January 2, 2026
COACH EMILIO KOVACIC – “Udine is a well-coached, well-prepared team that knows how to use all its energy on defense. They play a physical brand of basketball trying to control the pace of the game. The signing of Semaj Christon, as the last five games demonstrate, has changed their season. It will be important for us to match their energy level and approach the game with the seriousness we showed against Cremona.”
UDINE OUTLOOK – Udine started off very slowly this season, winning just one of its first eight games. But then they turned things around and won four of their next five, arriving in Milan in great shape. The turning point came with the addition of veteran Semaj Christon, a highly experienced point guard with a strong personality, who plays nearly 31 minutes per game, averaging 16.8 points and 6.8 assists per game, and has filled the gap left by Anthony Hickey’s departure. Christon is now one of Udine’s key players, along with former Sassari player Eimantas Bendzius, an exceptional shooter averaging 13.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, on 42.9 percent three-point shooting. Rounding out the starting line-up are guard Iris Ikangi (4.8 points per game), forward Mirza Alibegovic (10.7 points per game), and center Christian Mekowulu, another Italian league veteran (6.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting 61.4 percent from two). The bench is made up of point guard Andrea Calzavara (7.0 points and 2.6 assists per game), two Americans DJ Brewton, who spent his first pro season in Lithuania, who is averaging 10.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and Aubrey Dawkins (7.4 points per game, shooting 40.4 percent on threes), plus center Skylar Spencer, a vertical player averaging 4.5 points and 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 of them offensive. Matteo Da Ros can complete the rotation.
