Italian Cup semifinals: February 18, 2012 - Italy - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

May 26, 2013

Italian Cup semifinals: February 18, 2012

A rematch is set for the Italian Cup title after defending champion Montepaschi Siena and challenger Bennet Cantu survived semifinals Saturday with narrow victories in Torino. Siena will aim for its fourth cup title - all consecutively so far - after outlasting fellow-Turkish Airlines Euroleague power EA7 Emporio Armani Milan by 67-65 in their semifinal. Bo McCalebb's go-ahead basket with 19 seconds left let David Moss and Nikos Zisis made sure of the victory with free throws down the stretch. David Andersen paced the winners with 25 points on 11-for-17 two-point shooting, while Antonis Fotsis was Milan's top gun with 15. Cantu led early and often en route to a 64-71 victory over Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro in Saturday's second semfinal. Giorgi Shermadini threw down 18 points and Manuchar Markoishvili 15 for Cantu, which is aiming for its first-ever Italian Cup title on Sunday in its fourth final, all since 1997.

Siena went to Andersen for 7 points of an early 12-5 edge that put Milan on its heels after tipoff. The difference ballooned to 21-12 after 10 minutes and soared even higher as Siena scored the second quarter's first 9 points, 5 of them by Ksistof Lavrinovic. Teenage scorer Alessandro Gentile came to Milan's rescue then with 7 consecutive points before long-injured Malik Hairston joined in with 6 in a row and Nicolo Melli 5 more to suddenly cut the difference to 34-32 at halftime. Siena reestablished Andersen with 2 early baskets after halftime, but Milan stayed close as Omar Cook, Mason Rocca and Fotsis kept their team within 47-45 after 3 quarters. Milan finally took the lead at 49-52 on a Fotsis three-pointer in the fourth quarter and went ahead again, 60-62 on a shot from the arc by J.R. Bremer with 1 minute, 9 seconds left. The Siena defense locked down again as Lavrinovic hit free throws to tie and McCalebb broke loose for the game-winner and a spot in the final on Sunday. McCalebb added 16 points to Siena's total, while Hairston picked up 13 and Rocca 11 for Milan.

In Saturday's second semi, Cantu took the first significant lead as back-to-back triples from Marty Leunen and Andrea Cinciarini let to a 6-15 lead that stretched to 15-25 on another long-range shot, from Nicolas Mazzarino, to end the first quarter. Shermadini maintained the double-digit margin with 10 points himself in the second quarter, which Doron Perkins ended with a layup at 31-42. Markoishvili added several more points after the break, including free throws to hold a 44-55 advantage after 30 minutes. TCantu went cold in the fourth quarter, allowing a 15-4 Scavolini run featuring 6 points by Richard Hickman's to soon cut the difference to 59-61 with 2 minutes left. Gianluca Basile ended the threat with a three-pointer, however, as Cantu pulled away to the victory and another trophy try on Sunday.

Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final
Montepaschi Siena
Banco Di Sardegna	Montepaschi Siena

Canadian Solar	EA7 Emporio Armani
EA7 Emporio Armani		Montepaschi Siena

		vs.
Umana Venezia		Bennet Cantu
Scavolini Siviglia	Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro

Bennet Cantu	Bennet Cantu
Sidigas Avellino

Cup Games
Quarterfinals	Montepaschi Siena vs. Banco Di Sardegna Sassari	70-60	Feb. 16
Quarterfinals	EA7 Emporio Armani Milano vs. Canadian Solar Bologna	82-77	Feb. 16
Quarterfinals	Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro vs. Umana Venezia	90-70	Feb. 17
Quarterfinals	Bennet Cantu vs. Sidigas Avellino	99-70	Feb. 17
Semifinals	Montepaschi Siena vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milano	67-65	Feb. 18
Semifinals	Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro vs. Bennet Cantu	64-71	Feb. 18
Final	Montepaschi Siena vs. Bennet Cantu	0-0	Feb. 19