3' min
The 18th round of the LBA wrapped up with Virtus Bologna defeating Venezia 85-74 at the Segafredo Arena, snapping their losing streak after last week’s setback against Sassari. For Reyer, this marks their tenth defeat of the season. Meanwhile, Trento moves to the top of the standings after edging past Trapani (83-80), led by Ford’s 22-point performance.
Earlier in the day, Olimpia Milan dominated their derby clash with Varese, cruising to a 119-92 victory, giving coach Ettore Messina the perfect way to celebrate his 200th Serie A game with the team. LeDay stole the show with 26 points, while Shields added 20. This win marks Milan’s 12th triumph in 18 games, while Varese remains in trouble with their third straight loss.
The relegation battle sees major shifts, with Pistoia and Cremona now occupying the bottom two spots. Pistoia fell at home to Treviso (90-84), as Paulicap and Olisevicius both posted 18 points. Scafati bounced back from a six-game losing streak with a dominant win over Sassari (98-82), powered by a sensational performance from Rob Gray, who dropped 32 points and dished out 6 assists. Napoli delivered the upset of the weekend, defeating league leaders Brescia 90-85, thanks to double-doubles from Pangos (13 assists) and Totè (12 rebounds), lifting them out of the relegation zone.
Milan set the tone early, with LeDay scoring 10 consecutive points. Olimpia quickly jumped ahead (15-4), but Varese responded through Hands and Tyus, cutting the deficit to four. However, Dimitrijevic restored a two-possession lead at the end of the first quarter (28-22). In the second period, Varese stayed competitive with key contributions from Bradford and Librizzi, but Milan regained control behind Ricci and Shields, closing the half ahead 63-49. The third quarter was decisive, as Milan outscored their rivals 32-18, taking full advantage of Varese’s defensive struggles. Shields remained dominant, while LeDay continued his scoring spree (95-67 after three quarters). The final period was smooth sailing for EA7.
Napoli secured their third consecutive victory, moving away from the danger zone with a huge win over Brescia. The game remained tight until the final minutes, when Pangos and Totè sealed the deal with clutch plays.
Scafati ended their losing skid in spectacular fashion, putting up 98 points against Sassari. Rob Gray was unstoppable, recording 32 points and 6 assists. The hosts started strong (22-7 in the first quarter) and never looked back, keeping control despite Sassari’s late rally. Key three-pointers from Maxhuni and Anim in the final minutes ensured the win.
Treviso snapped their three-game losing streak and deepened Pistoia’s struggles, keeping them at the bottom with Cremona. The game remained tight until the final period when Bowman and Olisevicius delivered the decisive run.
In the high-stakes clash between Trento and Trapani, the Sicilians started well, but a strong second-half surge from Ford and Pecchia turned the tide for Trento. The game was decided in the final seconds, with Robinson hitting a crucial shot and Niang sealing the win from the free-throw line (83-80).
Virtus Bologna bounced back with a convincing win over Venezia. After a close first half (37-34), they pulled away in the second, led by Shengelia and Morgan, securing an 11-point victory to get back on track.
