Woes for Scariolo as Milan beaten
Belgrade rekindle hopes, thump Lithuania
BELGRADE, Dec 1, (RTRS): Former champions Emporio Armani Milan’s fears of making an early exit from the EuroLeague grew after Friday’s 64-62 defeat at Caja Laboral Vitoria completed an eventful week for coach Sergio Scariolo.
Elsewhere, 1992 winners Partizan Belgrade rekindled their hopes of reaching the last 16 with a dramatic 75-74 home victory over Lithuanians Lietuvos Rytas while Alba Berlin and Khimki Moscow advanced with contrasting victories.
Scariolo, who resigned as Spain coach on Wednesday having guided them to two successive European championship titles and the 2012 Olympic silver medal, saw Milan squander a 14-point halftime lead as Thomas Heurtel produced the game- winning shot for Caja.
Milan are fourth in their section with three wins and five defeats, ahead of Caja and Cedevita Zagreb who are breathing down their necks with two wins and six defeats apiece and two rounds left in the preliminary group stage of the 24-team competition.
Four teams from each of the four pools progress to the last 16 where they will be divided into two groups of eight.
Milan’s last two games are against already-qualified Zalgiris Kaunas and holders Olympiakos Piraeus.
“It hurts to lose a game you dominated for almost 40 minutes and the fight for qualification is as uncertain as ever now,” Scariolo told the competition’s official website (www.euroleague.net).
“We must beat Zalgiris at home and go to Athens with no other thought than winning although it’s going to be tough and we have to work on the things we did