Basketball: Euroleague, Milan-Zenit St. Petersburg 73-72

Sykes' nightmare debut (7 points with 8 shots, 0/3 by three and 5 lost) does not spoil the 2020 premiere of the Ax Milano, capable of beating Zenit St. Petersburg only in the sprint (73-72), tail light of the Euroleague, but to close then the first leg in the Playoff area (9-8). A very unspectacular game, the low score is not due to the quality of the defenses but to the fatigue of the attacks to build good shots, but that the Messina team manages to make its own for the stolen and basket of Micov (top scorer with 13 points) which signs the +4 and, in fact, for the best percentage to the free in the final: the Olimpia in the last 3 'is 6/6 from the line, the Zenit just 1/6. The long ones also make an important contribution: Scola closes in double doubles (10 + 10 rebounds), Tarczewski touches her (11 + 9), Gudaitis (10) scores 6 of the last 10 points in Milan. It is not an overwhelming victory but, in the end, it makes a number to try to snatch a place in the top eight. Needed, however, will be to improve the fluidity of the attack, which has appeared very involved in recent weeks.