Italian TIM Cup, Final: February 22, 2009
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 Montepaschi Siena is the Italian TIM Cup champion! Montepaschi won its first Italian Cup title by edging La Fortezza Bologna 70-69 in the final on Sunday on a game-winning jumper by Henry Domercant. Montepaschi rounded a perfect weekend, as it had previously downed NGC Cantu and Benetton Treviso to reach the title game against Virtus. Domercant led the winners with 12 points, but had 5 in the final seconds to seal the outcome down the stretch. Benjamin Eze and Ksistof Lavrinovic each added 11 while Shaun Stonerook got 10 for Montepaschi. Keith Langford led Virtus with 20 points. Earl Boykins added 16 while Alex Righetti had 10 for La Fortezza. Righetti followed free throws with a triple to tie it at 65-65. Domercant sank a three-pointer and even when Virtus regained a 68-69 edge, he stepped up with the game-winning jumper to win it for Montepaschi.
Romain Sato and Stonerook got Montepaschi going with consecutive three-pointers but Righetti and Boykins fueled a 0-9 run that Rey Terry capped with a triple to give Virtus its first lead, 6-9. Terrell McIntyre answered from downtown while Eze scored down low to restore a 11-9 Montepaschi lead. Eze kept pacing Montepaschi with a dunk while Stonerook followed free throws with a layup for a 17-11 margin. Langford and former Siena center Roberto Chiacig tried to change things for Virtus but Morris Finley and Domercant kept Montepaschi ahead, 23-18, after 10 minutes. Dusan Vukcevic nailed a triple early in the second quarter but back-to-back layups by Lavrinovic and a big three-pointer by Sato kept Montepaschi ahead, 29-21, midway through the second quarter. Langford and Domercant traded bombs from downtown while a layup-plus-foul by Stonerook made it a nine-point game, 35-26. Free throws by McIntyre boosted Montepaschi's lead to double digits, 40-29. Langford followed a triple with free throws while more foul shots by Boykins got Virtus within 42-36 at halftime.
Eze and Boykins traded baskets immediatelly after the break while a three-point play by Langford got Virtus as close as 44-41. Rimas Kaukenas took over with a power layup that Guilherme Giovannoni improved with a put-back basket - and the free throw that came with it. Eze and Sharrod Ford exchanged layups, as the game turned into a defensive battle. Montepaschi needed a go-to guy and found one in Finley, who nailed a three-pointer. Lavrinovic also struck from downtown to restore a six-point Montepaschi lead, 54-48. Free throws by Righetti and a wild triple by Petteri Koponen kept Virtus within 58-54 after 30 minutes. Lavrinovic stayed on fire with consecutive jumpers early in the fourth quarter. Montepaschi, however, went scoreless for more than 3 minutes while Ford and Langford brought Virtus back to life, 62-60. McIntyre sank a three-pointer but Righetti followed free throws with a bomb from downtown to turn the game into a thriller, 65-65, with less than 2 minutes to go. Domercant took over with a three-pointer but consecutive layups by Boykins and Langford gave Virtus a 68-69 edge. It all came down to the final seconds, as Domercant sank a critical jumper to win it for Montepaschi. A turnover by Vukcevic sealed the outcome, allowing Montepaschi to celebrate its first Italian TIM Cup title!
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Italian TIM Cup February 19-22, 2009
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| Quarterfinals |
Banca Tercas vs. Air Avellino |
76-70 |
Feb. 19 |
| Lottomatica vs. La Fortezza Bologna |
76-85 |
Feb. 19 |
| Benetton Basket vs. Premiata |
93-90 |
Feb. 20 |
| Montepaschi Siena vs. NGC Cantu |
77-65 |
Feb. 20 |
| Semifinals |
Banca Tercas vs. La Fortezza Bologna |
90-98 |
Feb. 21 |
| Montepaschi Siena vs. Benetton Basket |
85-80 |
Feb. 21 |
| Final |
Montepaschi Siena vs. La Fortezza Bo. |
70-69 |
Feb. 22 |
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Sunday, February 22, 2009
Euroleague.net
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