A 10-three pointer first half that included 14 assists and two buzzer-beating three, the first by Stefano Tonut and the second by Shavon Shields, propelled Olimpia to a commanding 100-77 win over Venezia in its Italian Cup semifinal game. Olimpia broke the game open in the middle of the first period, because of a couple of transition dunks, and never looked back. The first quarter was a 31-point thunderous assault, the second period was even better defensively, Olimpia scored 29 more points and set a Italian Cup record for most points scored in one half with 60. Olimpia led by as many as 25 points, 23 at intermission and cruised to a win. “Truthfully, we had some bad minutes in the third quarter due a concentration letdown – Coach Ettore Messina admitted – and moreover Venezia ia s very good, depth team with a lot of options to choose from. But we played aggressively and pass the ball willingly. So, our approach was really good.”
Shavon Shields took the game over in the first period when he made back-to-back threes and then added a three-point play. He scored 22 points over 16 minutes in the first half, finished with 22 point, five on six on threes, three for three on twos. Alternatively, a lot of guys helped including Diego Flaccadori, Shabazz Napier and Nikola Mirotic. “Napier was crucial in the second half – Messina added – His playmaking was good, but when Reyer attempted to comeback he made the two or three jumpers that kept them away. Flaccadori, too.”
In the quarter. Reyer started 9-0 and reduced the gap to 14 points. Coach Messina used his first and only time-out of the night. Shields exited the huddle with a steal and an easy two, then Devon Hall made a three and Mirotic tipped-in a miss to regain a safe lead that was never relinquished. In the fourth at one point, Johannes Voigtmann converted two straight threes that put the game in bed for good. Shields added a four-point play that closed his great night. He had 28 points, an Olimpia Italian Cup record.
Shabazz Napier finished his solid night with 17 points and six assists 8Shields had five). Voigtmann had 11 points. Nik Melli struggled at shooting the ball (he had 1-for-7 night) but again dominated the boards, he had nine for the night. “We have to stay humble. We have been playing well lately and the team looks fresh, but tomorrow’s game will be a tough one too, so we got to be prepared,” Messina said.
