EA7 Milan snaps Barcelona´s streak

The all-conquering team has had its winning run snapped as the surprise package of the Euroleague Top 16 struck again. EA7 Armani Milan took out Barcelona 91-63 in a commanding performance in the Italian fashion capital.

EA7 Milan

There was a sense that maybe Barcelona eased off in the game, but still, Milan´s near 30 point victory sent a message around Europe. Barcelona´s Top 16 winning record that stretches back to last season ended at game 26 as the Spanish club finally lost. More Barca records tumbled as EA7 Milan became the first club since Unicaja Malaga seven years ago to score 90 points past the mean Barcelona defense. It was the Catalan clubs´ worst loss since 1998, although the club will not worry unduly as the qualification to the next round has long been secured. Also, the roster was shuffled extensively in this game, with each players getting at least 10 minutes on the court.

It is fitting that such a fine victory took place at the venue for this year´s Euroleague Final Four, the Mediolanum Forum in Milan. The Italian club will have one eye on finals weekend after displaying poise and skill throughout the Top 16, but of course, the Playoffs await the club first. Both Barcelona and EA7 have already qualified for the next stage, with Barca still topping Group E (12-1) and Milan in second (10-3).

EA7 Milan vs. Barcelona, 91-63

First quarter
Alejandro Abrines opened the scoring for Barcelona with a triple and Erazem Lorbek took a lay-up to give the away team an early 0-5 advantage. EA7 got on the board with a jumper from Alessandro Gentile before Samardo Samuels hit a dunk, although Ante Tomic kept Barca in front with his own two-point effort (4-7). Barcelona managed to stay one score ahead as the teams traded through the first quarter. With the score at 10-12 Gentile went 100% from the charity stripe to give the first tie of the encounter, with the scoreboard reading 12-12. Samuels claimed the next four points to give Milan its first lead of the game, his dunk securing a four-point advantage at 16-12. The Spanish team responded with six points from the free throw line in reply to EA7´s single score, while in the final minute of Q1 Mario Hezonja took a lay-up for Barcelona before C.J. Wallace hit from downtown. Milan took a 21-20 lead into the second quarter.

Second quarter
Brad Oleson scored a jumper and a free throw to open the quarter and give Barcelona the lead back, with the score now at 21-23. The visitors extended the lead to four two minutes later when Maciej Lampe give the Spaniards a 23-27 advantage. However, EA7 Milan put together the biggest run so far with triples from Bruno Cerella and Curtis Jerrells helping the hosts to score 12 points unanswered (35-27). Lampe quickly stemmed the flow with two from the line, but EA7 was in a groove and reeled off the next five points. Throughout the remainder of the first half, the home team dominated and outscored Barcelona 20 points to 7. The teams headed into the locker room with the board reading 43-34.

Third quarter
The second half started quietly, with Samuels taking the only basket in the first minute to extend EA7 Milan´s lead to 45-34. Indeed, there were only three baskets in the first 3 minutes of the third, with Milan netting five points (48-34). Barcelona recorded its first basket of Q3 through a Victor Sada score from outside the arc, but it was increasingly becoming too little too late for the visiting team. In response to Sada´s triple, EA7 scored 11 straight points and put together a 16-2 run over the middle of the period. All Barca could do was score from the foul line, but Milan closed out the thirty minutes with a downtown net from Jerrells. The home team had all but won the game; with the last stanza looming the score was 69-40.

Fourth quarter
Barcelona improved in the fourth quarter, but EA7 Milan kept pace and kept finding the basket. The Spanish visitors did manage to win the final frame 22-23, but the damage had long been done and the Italian club was celebrating at the final buzzer. The win had been achieved off strong three points scoring, with Milan netting 9 from 16 attempts for a 56.3% record, while Barcelona managed to score just two from distance.

Gentile led the way for EA7 with a game-high 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Also scoring well for Milan were Samuels with 16 points and Curtis Jerrells with 14.

Abrines claimed 14 points and Tomic took 8 points and 7 rebounds for Barca.

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