Baskonia seeks a 'must' victory in Milan

Baskonia seeks a 'must' victory in Milan

MADRID, 30 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Cazoo Baskonia will start a new double weekday on Tuesday in the Regular Phase of the Euroleague 2022-2023 visiting (7:00 p.m.) the Mediolanum Forum in Milan (Italy) where bottom team EA7 Emporio Armani awaits them, against whom they hope not to fail to get good feelings again pending Markus Howard.

The Baskonia team arrives in the Lombard capital with the joy of having returned to the path of victory in the highest continental competition after a spectacular match against Anadolu Efes, decided after extra time by 114-111, and having stopped a bad moment of four consecutive defeats that prevented him from continuing in the leading positions of the classification.

Joan Peñarroya's team is sixth with a record of 12-9 before a week where, in addition to the Italian team, they will receive Greek Panathinaikos at the Fernando Buesa Arena, two rivals from the lower zone against whom they are 'forced' to not fail to continue in the fight for a 'Top 4' that continues to be very close.

To begin with, Baskonia will visit an Armani who continues without raising his head and with the main concern for the physical condition of Markus Howard. The American point guard hurt his ankle in the Endesa League victory against UCAM Murcia, where he could barely play three minutes, but he has traveled to Italy and could hurry to lend a hand to a position that is already having problems due to the loss of Pierria Henry.

The team from Vitoria moved quickly in the market and signed Max Heidegger, who could have his first minutes under the command of Peñarroya and to be able to give Darius Thompson more rest against a rival that occupies the bottom position with only six wins. In addition, the Catalan coach also recovered Tadas Sedekerskis.

Armani took a breather with three consecutive wins to end with good feelings in 2022, but in 2023 it has returned to its worst European face with five consecutive losses that leave it without having celebrated a win yet this year. At the Buesa Arena they fell clearly 78-62.

Despite everything, the club maintains confidence in the veteran Ettore Messina, who continues with physical problems in his squad and the known casualties of two key players such as Kevin Pangos and Shavon Shields, joins that of power forward Niccolo Melli. At the moment, the Italian team has signed the American point guard Shabaz Nappier to try to alleviate his problems in the rotation.

ARMANI MILAN: Mitrou-Long, Baron, Hall, Ricci and Davies --possible starting five-- Hines, Nappier, Thomas, Luwawu-Carrot, Datome, Voigtmann and Tonut.

CAZOO BASCONIA: Thompson, Marinkovic, Giedraitis, Costello and Enoch --possible starting quintet--; Men, Ten, Kurucs, Kotsar, Raieste, Heidegger, Howard and Ndiaye.

--REFEREES: Belosevic, Vilius and Cici.

--PABELLÓN: Milan Forum.