It took a Shabazz Napier impossibly long two-pointer to close the game in Olimpia’s favor, 85-83, over Partizan. A well-played game that everybody enjoyed, a lot of ups and downs, whoever had momentum going in its direction had to suffer the other team’s answer. It was like that right from the beginning and for the entirety of the game. Partizan started 8-0 and led 10-2, its biggest margin of the night. Shavon Shields answered scoring all of his team first 10 points, two threes, two drives. “We allowed them to score 10 points in the first two minutes basically, the gradually the defense improved in temrs of quality,” Coach Ettore Messina remarked.

It was an unusual game. Olimpia took just 15 two-pointers, including the go-ahead, winning basket made by Shabazz Napier with six seconds left in the game. But 12 of them were made two-pointers. Shields went 6-for-6 on twos. Partizan’s switching defense allowed 31 three-pointers and Olimpia made 16 of them. A huge number. “Both team switched a lot and the ability of individual players to attack the switches was a crucial factor in the game. We had 20 assists against this defense and scored 85 points. The only number going agianst us was the turnovers, 19,” Messina pointed out. While Shields scored 19 points and had the highest index rating of the game (27), Devon Hall was superb throughout the game. “Too many times we take him for granted when he plays well. Tonight, he was extraordinary”, Messina remarked. Hall was all over the floor defensively and scored 18 points. A couple of threes were huge, buzzer-beating threes.

A lot of ups and downs characterized the game. Olimpia attempted to get away in the third. Partizan had a huge answer, took the lead late. But at the start of the fourth period, Nikola Mirotic made two consecutive three-pointers and turned momentum around. Mirotic scored 19 points, was spotless from the line, 7-for-7, and added four threes. He scored 14 in the second half. “We changed our defense on their bigs late in the game, with help and recover. Melli and Hines and Voigtmann, Niko too, were great,” Messina said.

Late in the game, Olimpia hang on some slight leads. Entering in the last few possessions, a three-point lead should have been decisive. Kevin Punter took the game on his shoulders, attempting a step-back three to tie the game up. He missed. Melli was the first going to get the rebound, but he was pushed from behind. A push that went unnoticed. So LeDay scored and got fouled. He was a three-point play that tied the game up finally.

On the last offensive possession, Shabazz Napier used his crafty stepback move to create separation between him and the defensive player. Only but net. It looked like a three-pointer but upon review the referees found out that the tip of his left shoe barely touched the line. It was a two-pointer that gave Partizan more options for the last attempt. But Olimpia’s defense forced the ball on Zach LeDay’s hands. He dribbled the length of the court and launched a prayer that didn’t have a chance.