ITA – Fortitudo dash Montepaschi hopes of unbeaten season in Italy

BOLOGNA (Lega A) - Montepaschi Siena flirted with a perfect domestic season but their hopes of pulling it off were dashed at Fortitudo Bologna.

Italy’s Stefano Mancinelli, who will represent the Azzurri this summer in the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009, led all scorers with 20 points as Fortitudo scraped a 67-63 triumph on Sunday.

Montepaschi boss Simone Pianigiani didn’t place too much importance on the club’s 19-game winning streak coming to an end.

"Compliments to Fortitudo because they believed in the victory even when we were ahead," said Siena coach Simone Pianigiani.

"It has been a strange game, we played well just the second quarter, playing like a team should play.

"When we were 12 points ahead, we started making risky decisions. The lack of energy has hurt us in the last quarter when Bologna has dominated the offensive rebounds and has had extra possessions."

Montepaschi already know they will not finish the season empty-handed after beating Bologna’s other team, Virtus, in the Coppa Italia final the week before.

Cesare Pancotto’s Fortitudo also got a big game from their Brazil international Marcelo Huertas, who had 11 points.

Montepaschi possess a five-game lead over second-place Lottomatica Roma in the Lega A standings.

FIBA