It was basically a wire-to-wire win. Olimpia approached the Italy Cup final the right way and dominated the game with intensity, defense (terrific in the first quarter where it allowed Avellino just 11 points) and rebounds in spite of playing without two pure centers like Stanko Barac and Esteben Batista. Coach Jasmin Repesa opted for a smallball line-up, started the game with Rakim Sanders’ energy at the four and never looked back. Avellino enever gave up. Sidigas was a great opponent. It kept pushing and pushing, gettin back within four points several times but Olimpia had always the answer. It came from different players, Sanders and Jenkins early in the game, McLean and Macvan in spurts anche Andrea Cinciarini had a terrific all-around game overcoming Kruno Simon’s difficult shooting night after two great outings. And then Bruno Cerella, 32 hours removed from an arthroscopic surgery, he stepped on the court and played a marvelous, outstanding game not even scoring but grabbing five rebounds. “He was an example of how mnuch we wanted to win the game”, Coach Repesa said at the end. “It was remarkable win for the team and for me, personally, because I never won this trophy”, Repesa said. Rakim Sanders won the MVP award. “He meant a lot to me since I was out for seven moths with an injury and so I appreciated the win a lot more now, he said.