It had to end in overtime..A great game played by both games teams, that saw AX Armani lead for 43’ out of 45’. It was the rematch of last year’s final, in which Bologna swept Milano 4-0, and even if many of the new players did not play them, it was still an important game between the two best ranked teams in Italy.  Milano now is 12-1 while Bologna is 10-3. 

Both teams had many unavailble players, mostly for injuries. AX Armani Milano was missing Datome, Shields, Mitoglou , Moraschini and Delaney , while Virtus Segafredo Bologna had Mannion, Hervey, and Cordinier  on the sidelines. 

Milano starts strong, with a big starting 5, with Melli , Hines and Bentil. Also thanks to Rodriguez (16pts and 9 assists) Armani leads 14-4, just before a good reaction by Virtus Bologna with Teodosic (18pts and 10assists) and help from the bench by Ruzzier and Belinelli (34pts). 

A buzzer-beater by Hall (18pts) at the end of the first quarter gives Milano a 3point lead after that Weems (13pts , 9 reb) and a solid Jaiteh (18pts 10reb) got Bologna back in the game. 

In the second quarter, after a brief Bologna lead, Rodriguez and Grant take control. The following 10-2 run by Melli (11pts and 5 reb) and Grant (20pts and 6 ast) sees Milano at halftime 54-45. 

In the third quarter, Milano controls the lead, despite  an inspired Belinelli and the quarter ends 75-65. 

Milano controls the pace of the game and is focused defensively, even if Belinelli continues in his great performance. 

With less than 3 minutes to the end of the game, Teodosic and Belinelli carry Virtus from -13 to -6. Hines (14pts) and Bentil (13pts) try to keep the lead, but Teodosic’s scoring and passing and Belinelli’s shooting accuracy ( added to a 1./4 Armani FTs) keep the game alive. 

With few seconds left and the score of 95-92 the Milano defense does not foul the dribbling Pajola, that feeds Belinelli for a game- tying 3pointer. 95-95 overtime. 

Weems opens the OT by scoring a 3pt shot, answered by Grant and Hall that give Milano a 100-98 lead. Both teams, with their limited rotations, are visibly drained, but AX Armani Milano has important offensive rebounds.  At 38” to the end, Virtus Segafredo Bologna has a chance to tie the game once more, but a turnover by Pajola and a buzzer shot by Weems do not change the score. Milano wins 102-99 and ends the first half of the regular season with the best record, and consequently the best position on the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) grid that will be played in February by top 8 teams. 

In the second game of the night, Umana Reyer Venezia wins 79-75 against GeVi Napoli. 

Napoli (7-6) must do without Rich, injured after less than a minute,but thanks to Parks (11 pts e 6 reb) and McDuffie (17 pts) was able to lead for three quarters of the game. 

Venezia put a great team effort in getting back into the game. Tonut (15) Vitali (16) and Watt (20) keep them close, and at 70-68 they finally gain the lead. Gevi Napoli will not give up.  

The duo Pargo-McDuffie  and some great plays by Parks and Velicka bring back Gevi Napoli; just before Sanders’ 3 pointer sets the final score at 79-75.