ITA - Gallinari great but Virtus survive Coppa Italia showdown

BOLOGNA (Coppa Italia) - Danilo Gallinari has greatness in his future but his 27 points on Saturday night weren’t enough for Armani Jeans Milano in an 87-85 overtime defeat to Virtus Bologna in the Coppa Italia semi-finals.

Gallinari, an 18-year-old playmaker who Italy coach Carlo Recalcati has confirmed will play at EuroBasket 2007 in Spain, dazzled the Pala Malaguti crowd and put Olimpia on the verge of a famous victory.

But Travis Best’s two free throws with 14 seconds left proved decisive for the tournament hosts, with Nate Green’s potential game-winning three-pointer from the top of the key off target.

Guilherme Giovannoni and Vlado Ilievski each had 18 points for Virtus, who last won the Coppa in 2002.

“I told him yesterday before practice that if he didn’t want to be the MVP of this tournament, then to tell me because I wouldn’t include him in the squad,” Milano coach Aleksandar Djordjevic said to PA Sport immediately after the game.

“He can easily win that title.

“It’s not just the talent that he’s got, it’s the confidence he shows on the court. We’re counting on his playing a lot of minutes and hoping that he will continue to do so well for us.”

Virtus appeared to have done just enough to win the game in regulation after a Giovannoni dunk gave them a 75-69 lead with less than two minutes remaining.

Dante Calabria replied with a three-pointer, and after Kiwane Garris split two from the line, an Ilievski turnover with 18 seconds left gave the ball back to Milano and Garris scored to tie the game.

Best had a chance to win the game after penetrating into the lane but his lay-up rimmed out and the contest went to overtime.

Gallinari continued to play like the MVP Djordjevic believes he can be, with his three-pointer in the final minute of the extra period levelling the contest at 85-85.

But Green fouled Best, who sank both shots from the line.

And then Green missed his shot at the end as Virtus held on.

“This is great for Virtus,” said Virtus coach Zare Markovski.

“It means a lot to us to be in the final of the Coppa Italia. It’s been a very tight game.

“All of my players have contributed. I’m really happy with the performance of Giovannoni, but also all of my players.

“Now we have to get our energy back. We won’t have much time. We don’t care who we face in the final.

“It is great for the Virtus Bologna fans.”

Now they will play the winner of the other semi between Benetton Treviso and Lega A leaders Montepaschi Siena.

Virtus owner Claudio Sabatini was happier than most because he was concerned about the impact on attendance had his team not reached the final.

“It’s a great joy,” he said.

“Had we not won tonight, tomorrow the court would have been empty.”

Sabatini then offered his thoughts on the play of the team.

“We lacked lucidity, but we played with our hearts,” he said.

“I think basketball won tonight. It was great to watch from a fan’s point of view and I don’t think we could have expected a better showing for this type of tournament.

“The only regret is that television doesn’t have more space for basketball.”

FIBA
Cindy Garcia-Bennett, Bologna