Olimpia is going to complete its Bologna trip for the championship series in game 2, starting from the bug defensive effort of Game 1. The team obviously stayed in Bologna and practiced there in the afternoon, in the historic location of PalaDozza, the same arena where in 1966 our club won its first European title. The win in Game 1 is important, but in a seven-game series is nothing more than a step forward. Olimpia prevailed by leading basically for 40 straight minutes, deserved the win, and overcame the problems coming off a mediocre shooting night, the first during the playoff, a 3-for-23 three-point shooting night (1-for-13 in the first half, 2-for-10 in the second half, only Datome made any threes). The win was possible because of a great defensive effort, so the opponent shooting percentages remained low, and an excellent rebounding game (50-41). The scoring was very low, but especially over the first half (28-27) while it was close to be regular in the second (38-35). It was a physical battle everywhere. Ben Bentil came out of it hurting, to the left knee, but Milano’s power forward will try to be available for Game 2.
NOTES – Game 2 is scheduled to be played on Friday, June 10, in Bologna, before the series will move to Milan for Game 3 and 4, next Sunday and Tuesday.
KYLE HINES – “Defense has been our calling card all season long, even against a great offensive team like Bologna. This is a seven-game series and every game is different, but I expect them to come out even more physical and we’ll have to be ready.”
SHAVON SHIELDS – “We played Game 1 showing a lot of energy and the same energy will be necessary in Game 2, because they will come out even more prepared. We’ll have to match their intensity to try to win another game.”
SERGIO RODRIGUEZ – “We did a good job in Game 1, but it is a long series and we have to take one game at a time. We know it is not going to be easy. When there’s so much tension, so much pressure, maybe you cannot play as well as we did during the last month. I expect a similar kind of game, we need to stay focus and be ready.”
GAME 2 REFEREES – Carmelo Paternicò, Michele Rossi, Guido Giovannetti.
GAME 1: VIRTUS-OLIMPIA 62-66 – It was a low-scoring game especially early on when Olimpia scored 11 points during the first five minutes and just two over the remaining five first-quarter minutes. And still, it led 13-10. The most effective guy was Kyle Hines, great at converting Sergio Rodriguez assists (seven at the end). Shavon Shields scored all of his 18 points over the second and third quarter. In the third, he led Olimpia’s taking over of the game, helped by Datome and Rodriguez. The lead reached 13 points. In the fourth quarter. Virtus attempted a comeback and was able to reduce the margin to two. Right there, Bentil made two free throws and Datome scored the decisive points, for the lead the Hall protected by making his last two free throws.
