ITA - Montepaschi edge thriller

SIENA (Lega A) - Italian basketball enjoyed one of its finest moments of the season on Tuesday when Game Three of the Lega A play-off semi-final between Montepaschi Siena and Lottomatica Roma went to triple overtime.

Hosts Montepaschi eventually prevailed 114-108 and can now clinch a place in the Lega A finals with victory in Rome on Thursday.

"I have to thank my players for what they have given on the court," said Roma coach Jasmin Repesa, who believes his team will win in front of their home fans.

"We now must come back to Siena and win game five," he said.

"We will not give up. It has been a 55-minute battle and I have to compliment both teams for how they played, and Siena for having won the game.

"It's a pity because we could have killed the game off at the end of regular time and also at the end of second overtime.

"Now we must forget everything and recover physically for the next game."

Roma led by as many as four points in the final minute of regulation but Siena held their nerve with a Rimantas Kaukenas basket tying the contest at 84-84 near the end.

Mire Chatman had the last shot to win the game for Roma but was off target.

Then at the end of the second overtime, Roma led by two with time winding down but a Benjamin Eze dunk pulled Mens Sana level again at 101-101.

Even in the third overtime, Roma were in front by four points but Mens Sana went on an 8-0 run to lead 109-105 and they stayed in the lead the rest of the way.

Joe Forte tied the game at 105-105 with just over a minute remaining, Eze added a free throw and Marco Carraretto followed with a three-pointer.

Alessandro Tonolli made just one of two free throws to close the gap to 109-108, but Roma still had their chance to move back in front when Carraretto missed for Siena.

Vladimir Boisa grabbed the offensive rebound for the home side, and Forte scored to extend the lead to 111-108.
Siena held on for the victory.

"We have reached our aim which is to qualify for the Euroleague," Repesa said, "but we desperately want to win the domestic title.

"It's not going to be easy, but in order to stay on course, we must win Game Four at home."

Montepaschi attempted 56 free throws, making 44 (78.6%) compared to Roma's 75% (24 of 32).

Roma won the rebounding battle 56-42.

Serbian Ognjen Askrabic scored 26 points and Dejan Bodiroga 23 for Roma, while Forte's 22 points paced a balanced attack for Siena which had five others in double figures.

Montepaschi's Terrell McIntyre finished with 20 points, Romain Sato 16, Kaukenas 15, Shaun Stonebrook 14 and Carraretto 11.

FIBA