Italian Cup Quarterfinals Roundup: No Threats, No Upsets
By Giovanni Reale
In Turin, it’s taking place a final eight tournament with the Italian National Cup up for grabs. In the first two days, the forecast, an issue for all sports competitions over the last couple of weeks, has been held by.
Montepaschi Siena, the defending champions, sweat a little but eventually overlasted Banco di Sardegna Sassari, 80-70. One more time with Travis Diener injured and missing the game, Sassari started strong (9-4) but went early under by a 10-point deficit which remained more or less so untill the end of the game. David Moss (16 points on 4-6 from 3-point range) and Bo McCalebb (15 points, five steals and four turnovers) stepped on the gas pedal when necessary to keep the game under control for Siena.
Despite of the ranking (Bologna was second seeded) it was Olimpia Milano (seventh seeded) the favorites and the powerhouse from the country's capital came through, 82-77. Olimpia Milano was without Stefano Mancinelli (knee injury) while Virtus Bologna was without Giuseppe Poeta (calf injury). EA7 played a great first quarter (31-14) thanks to a 6-6 shooting performance from beyond the arc (3-3 by JR Bremer) but since then, it was actually a head to head game because Chris Douglas Roberts got hot, scoring 14 points in the third quarter alone, and Petteri Koponen scored 15 points all in the second half. In cruntch time, Drew Nicholas and Antonis Fotsis scored the decisive baskets that permitted EA7 to advance to semifinals.
The three American players decided the game early for Virtus Libertas Pesaro, who proceeded to run over Umana Venezia, 90-70. James White had 17 points, Richard Hickman had 16 points while Jumaine Jones had 14 points on 4-5 shooting from beyond the arc and rebounds. Reyer Veneiza was out of the game (down 52-76 at the end of the third quarter) and the second half was basically some long garbage time.
On Doron Perkins's first game with Bennet Cantù, demonstrating he was not fully fitt yet, his team cruised through Sidigas Avellino, 99-70. Avellino had to renounce James Dean (wrist injury) but started stronger than the opponents mainly thanks to Marques Green (13 points in the first quarter) for as long as Cantù put Manuchar Markoishvili as his defender. Cantù then slowly took the control of the game (lled 43-36 by the end of the first half) and closed the game in the third quarter shooting great (8-9 and 4-8 from 3-point range).
Editor's Note: Giovanni Reale is a staff blogger for 'the Basketball Post', providing info on Italian basketball. More of his work can be found here and he can be followed on twitter @Pariolino.
In Turin, it’s taking place a final eight tournament with the Italian National Cup up for grabs. In the first two days, the forecast, an issue for all sports competitions over the last couple of weeks, has been held by.
Montepaschi Siena, the defending champions, sweat a little but eventually overlasted Banco di Sardegna Sassari, 80-70. One more time with Travis Diener injured and missing the game, Sassari started strong (9-4) but went early under by a 10-point deficit which remained more or less so untill the end of the game. David Moss (16 points on 4-6 from 3-point range) and Bo McCalebb (15 points, five steals and four turnovers) stepped on the gas pedal when necessary to keep the game under control for Siena.
Despite of the ranking (Bologna was second seeded) it was Olimpia Milano (seventh seeded) the favorites and the powerhouse from the country's capital came through, 82-77. Olimpia Milano was without Stefano Mancinelli (knee injury) while Virtus Bologna was without Giuseppe Poeta (calf injury). EA7 played a great first quarter (31-14) thanks to a 6-6 shooting performance from beyond the arc (3-3 by JR Bremer) but since then, it was actually a head to head game because Chris Douglas Roberts got hot, scoring 14 points in the third quarter alone, and Petteri Koponen scored 15 points all in the second half. In cruntch time, Drew Nicholas and Antonis Fotsis scored the decisive baskets that permitted EA7 to advance to semifinals.
The three American players decided the game early for Virtus Libertas Pesaro, who proceeded to run over Umana Venezia, 90-70. James White had 17 points, Richard Hickman had 16 points while Jumaine Jones had 14 points on 4-5 shooting from beyond the arc and rebounds. Reyer Veneiza was out of the game (down 52-76 at the end of the third quarter) and the second half was basically some long garbage time.
On Doron Perkins's first game with Bennet Cantù, demonstrating he was not fully fitt yet, his team cruised through Sidigas Avellino, 99-70. Avellino had to renounce James Dean (wrist injury) but started stronger than the opponents mainly thanks to Marques Green (13 points in the first quarter) for as long as Cantù put Manuchar Markoishvili as his defender. Cantù then slowly took the control of the game (lled 43-36 by the end of the first half) and closed the game in the third quarter shooting great (8-9 and 4-8 from 3-point range).
Editor's Note: Giovanni Reale is a staff blogger for 'the Basketball Post', providing info on Italian basketball. More of his work can be found here and he can be followed on twitter @Pariolino.
Posted by Rafael Uehara at Saturday, February 18, 2012 2:41:32 PM 
Categories: LegaBasket
Tags: Giovanni Reale
Categories: LegaBasket
Tags: Giovanni Reale
Comments