Milan outlasts Unicaja 90-86 to rejoin playoff race

On a historic night in Milan, host EA7 Emporio Armani held off Unicaja Malaga 90-86 on Friday to register its first home victory in the Top 16 and thus keep alive its playoff hopes. The win improved Milan to 3-7 and a share of sixth place in Group F, while Unicaja dropped to 2-8, alone in last place. The contest started as a special night as Milan retired the number 8 of it's all-time leading scorer and former head coach, Mike D'Antoni, before a sellout crowd at Mediolanum Forum. The game turned into a historic one, too, when Caleb Green hit a three-pointer early in the second quarter, marking the 500,000th point in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague history! It also helped Unicaja build a seven-point lead, but Milan rallied after halftime when MarShon Brooks scored 14 of his 17 points, fueling a key 11-0 run that gave put the hosts ahead for good at 54-47. The margin topped out at 77-64 in the fourth quarter before Milan held off the visitors as Alessandro Gentile led the winners with 23 points. Samardo Samuels had 19 points plus 7 rebounds, while Green scored career-high 22 points for Unicaja.

First quarter: Unicaja takes slim lead from downtown

Daniel Hackett opened the scoring with a driving layup after a couple of offensive rebounds, then Samuels picked up a loose ball and scored to make it 4-0 for Milan. Unicaja countered with Stefan Markovic and Ryan Toolson nailing back-to-back triples, both from the left corner, for the visitors' first lead, but Nicolo Melli had a dunk and David Moss banked in a floater-plus-free throw to put Milan back in charge, 9-6. Toolson scored a baseline jumper and Vladimir Golubovic a layup for Unicaja to regain the lead. A layup from Will Thomas made it 9-12. After a timeout, Gentile had an easy layup, but Toolson knocked down a long jumper at 11-16. Melli answered with a triple for the hosts, but Mindaugas Kuzminskas hit his own from downtown at the other end. Gentile added a runner for Milan, and Samuels tied the score at 19-19 with a three-point play. Samuels finished a fastbreak with a layup for a brief Milan lead, but Jayson Granger buried a last-second triple to give Unicaja 21-22 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Unicaja's Green makes history

Markovic started the second quarter with a fastbreak layup, but Joe Ragland answered by driving the baseline for a Milan basket. Linas Kleiza buried a triple for to put the hosts up 26-25, but Green answered back, scoring his three-pointer for the history books, marking the 500,000th point in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague history! Green followed his historic basket with a fastbreak dunk and a 26-30 Unicaja edge. A mid-range jumper from Fran Vazquez opened up a seven-point margin, before Frank Elegar's alley-oop dunk snapped a 0-8 Unicaja run. Granger raced for an uncontested fastbreak layup, but Brooks drove for a layup-plus-free throw and Elegar threw down another alley-oop dunk at 33-35. Vazquez knocked down a long jumper, keeping Unicaja in front, but Gentile drove to the hoop and followed it with a corner triple at 38-39. Samuels then dunked to cap a 7-0 run that have Milan a lead, but Golubovic responded with a jump-hook in the lane, and Toolson scored an easy fastbreak layup, 40-43. Gentile tied it with a three-pointer, but Unicaja went into halftime with a 43-45 lead after Golubovic free throws.

Third quarter: Brooks leads Milan's charge

Thomas scored a put-back at the beginning of the third quarter to extend Unicaja's advantage, but right away, Brooks answered with back-to-back triples from the corner to put Milan back in front. Samuels followed with a long jumper, and Brooks hit another three to suddenly give Milan a 54-47 advantage. After a timeout, Carlos Suarez snapped Milan's 11-0 run with a jumper, but Hackett hit a jumper of his own for Milan then drove for a layup to make it 58-49. Suarez finished Unicaja's fastbreak with a layup, and Granger drove the lane for an easy two, forcing Milan timeout at 58-53. After talking it over, Gentile scored from close range for Milan while Brooks nailed a triple and a fastbreak layup for the first double-digit margin of the night, 65-55. Green's layup was cancelled out with free throws from Samuels, but Green had another layup in the final minute, cutting Unicaja's deficit to 67-60 after three quarters.

Fourth quarter: The hosts hold on

Gentile and Granger traded baskets to start of the fourth quarter, then Green hit a fadeaway jumper to close the gap to 69-64. But that's when Melli knocked down a three-pointer, Gentile drove for a runner, and Samuels capped a 7-0 run with a put-back-plus-free throw for a new high lead of 77-64. Green kept Unicaja in it, burying a three, and the visitors used an unsportsmanlike foul from Kleiza to close within 77-72 on a Kuzminskas triple. Gentile replied with a three-pointer to keep Milan safe. and after 2 of 3 from free throws made by Green, a dunk by Samuels gave put Milan in front 82-74. Green split free throws and Kuzminskas fought for a tip-in to make it a five-point game, 82-77. After an offensive unsportsmanlike foul by Samuels, German Gabriel hit 1 of 2 foul shots, before Hackett hit a baseline jumper at 84-78. After a timeout, Toolson nailed a three-pointer, cutting the distancce to 3 points, 84-81. After Samuels split free throws, Green scored a tough layup that dropped the difference to 85-83. In the final 45 seconds, Hackett only split free throws, but Milan secured an offensive rebound, and then he scored an easy layup off Gentile's inbound pass at 88-83. Toolson answered with another tough triple, but Milan kept the ball away until only 5.2 second were left on the clock. Gentile sank both free throws, sealing the deal.