In flashes, overcoming some struggles at different points, Olimpia survived the Hapoel Jerusalem exam, against a deep, physical and athletic team ready to play a high-level Eurocup: the final score was 83-81, in Vigevano. The Olimpia team was a bit tired, playing the third game in five days, and it was and up and down outing, for better or for worse. When necessary, Olimpia rode Shavon Shields (22 points, 5-from-7 from two, 3-for-4 from three), the clutch plays made by Nikola Mirotic (in the fourth quarter he scored two fade-aways and two free throws, closing with 13) and a solid game from Zach LeDay (16 points, 8-for-9 from the free throw line). The two key baskets during the comeback in the final quarter were scored by Pippo Ricci with a three and Causeur on a drive (a three-point play), then Mirotic completed the job with two free throws, earned sneaking in for an offensive rebound. Olimpia led by as many as nine points early in the third quarter, but the defense struggled in the third allowing 29 points. Coach Messina obviously didn’t change the rotation, sharing minutes across the roster. Hapoel built a seven-point lead in the fourth, before Olimpia came back aggressively. Messina used Fabien Causeur in the starting line-up at the two, didn’t have Neno Dimitrijevic because of a minor ankle sprain, and won the game in the end using Zach LeDay as a nominal center. Olimpia will play against next weekend in Crete in a All-EuroLeague tournament. The first game will be against Fenerbahce next Saturday.