Unahotels-Milan 87-78: a fantastic Reggio dominates the battleship Olimpia

Reggio Emilia, 6 April 2025 – A wonderful Unahotels defeats, with aggression, intensity, talent and a sensational defense the Olympia Milan, beating a top four team for the first time this year and taking a very important success on the road to the playoff conquest, turning to their advantage, among other things, the difference in baskets with the "red shoes" themselves.

Several protagonists of the evening, starting with Kenneth Faried, who dominated the scoreboards throughout the match, well supported by a fabulous Barford in the first half, by a truly “surgeon” Smith at various times, and by a Winston who was very good at loading the opposing defense with fouls. However, all the red and whites put important building blocks, and not by chance the ovation of the public of the PalaBigi at the end of the match was collective, with choirs for all the people of Reggio.

Armani fields almost all of its best players and at various times plays at a very high level, but Reggio is very good at containing in defense and then finding the right plays to win. Many errors, on both sides, and many fouls, ditto, characterize a nervous first quarter where, however, the solidity of Milan has a greater specific weight than a willing but inattentive Reggio. Thus, halfway through the quarter, the guests find the first impetus (7-14) and force Priftis to take a timely time-out. The move does not give the desired results because, despite working better in the rearguard, Unahotels is struggling terribly in attack finding themselves eleven points down with 3' to go. However, when the red and whites are on the verge of running out of steam, two "bombs" by Smith and Barford, they start an imperious red and white counter-break that allows the red and whites to even take the lead at the buzzer, with a 3-point shot by Barford himself; at the height of a 14-2 partial.

In the second 10' the inertia remains Reggio Emilia for a long time, with score still balanced. The hosts push up to +5 before the guests' return. With the scoreboard that, at the timing of the long interval, shows perfect parity. Upon returning to the parquet the leitmotif of the contest does not change. Reggio relies on Barford and the outbursts of Faried, Milan responds with collective baskets. The two teams, however, always remain in contact; the final fraction, however, arrives with Priftis's troops that collects a small loot; thanks also to the triple of an acrobatic Smith signed at the end of the period. At the start of the fraction, Pallacanestro Reggiana takes a double-digit advantage that with an indomitable defense and great character it brings as a dowry up to

The little table

UNAHOTELS: Barford 22, Winston 20, Faye 10, Smith 11, Uglietti 3, Vitali 6, Fainke, Faried 11, Grant, Chillo, Cheatham 4. Ne: Gallo. All.: Priftis.

EA7: Dimitrijevic 4, Mannion 8, Bortolani, Tonut 14, Brooks 20, Leday 7, Ricci 3, Flaccadori, Diop 3, Caruso, Mirotic 19, Gillespie. Coach: Messina.

Referees: Mark Bartoli, Lorenzo Baldini, Matteo Lucotti

Partial scores: 23-22, 46-46, 69-62

Notes: spectators: 3803; 3-pointers: Unahotels 10/24, Ea7 8/22, free throws: Reggio Emilia 21/26, Milan 14/21. Rebounds: 34-33. Out with 5 fouls: Mannion