17 June Press Release
La Nazione
TOO UGLY to be true, the Mens Sana we saw Sunday in game one at Assago against a solid Ollimpia able to take advantage of every little mistake on defense and a bad day at shooting by Ress and teammates. However, after a loss like that, you can pick back up with even more determination and awareness, without thinking about how you’re down 3-0 in the season’s head to heads against Milano. Each game is in and unto itself, even in the title finals. THAT’S WHY the green-and-whites’ redemption is already expected tonight. During this time spent in Milano, they’ve been able to carefully reflect on what happened game one. Mens Sana’s 44.4 percent from the line (8/18) screams vendetta, and represents an undesirable negative record for a title finals game: only two other times has a team been below 50%, VidiVici Bologna
in game three 2006/07 against Montepaschi in Pianigiani’s first year (7/15), and Gabetti Cantù iin game two against Sinudyne (14/30). It didn’t go any better from the arc, seeing as though often missed heavyweight shots was one of the key aspects that influenced Sunday’s game. One triple landed and over 12 missed after that for a miserable one out of nineteen. As for Milano, they had the prowess to release a much too often free Curtis Jerrells, who set the following season records: triples scored (6), total shots landed (10), total shots attempted (13), minutes played (34), index rating (31). Jerrells also tied his performance for three point shots attempted (8). His 26 points are a 2013/14 record for a Siena opponents, tying Turner (Pesaro), who had the same number on game day 19. The only high point was Othello Hunter who, in game one (where Siena took their first loss after eight consecutive game one wins in the final, and with a score of at least 80 points) racked up 19 points and 10 rebounds for the eighth double double and a season career high. In the 2010/11 playoff series between Sassari (where he played) and Milano, Hunter set what it is still his Italian record for free throws (7), defensive rebounds (11), fouls drawn (7), turnovers (6). A POOR job was done by one of the best so far, rather, Haynes, who for the first time had a game of under 50 percent from the line. Mens Sana’s point guard also had 0/10 on triples the last three away games. Tonight, we’re expecting him to do a 180, as only he knows how. But in order to beat Milano in house, everyone will have to contribute, from Ortner, who had a dry spell game one, to Carter, Nelson and Viggiano, who are often determining factors when they bring their energy with the game underway. This group’s DNA contains an immense drive to react to problems, and that’s why we’ll surely see a different Mens Sana on court tonight.