ITA - Siena pull away from determined Cantù; Milano on top

SIENA (Lega A) - Montepaschi Siena defeated NGC Medical Cantù again on Thursday night to take a 2-0 stranglehold on their Lega A play-off semi-final.

Terrell McIntyre led the scoring parade with 22 points as Mens Sana claimed a 104-74 victory.

"I am very happy and satisfied,” Montepaschi coach Simone Pianigiani said.

“We have to impose our rhythm immediately and produce a lot in a championship semi-final against a very well organized team.”

The visitors only trailed 34-27 at the end of the first quarter and were still within striking distance at half-time at 56-44.

Pianigiani’s team pulled away in the second half.

Siena's Benjamin Eze, Ksistof Lavrinovic and David Hawkins each poured in 13 points.

NGC Medical Cantù , who were out-rebounded 31-22, got 15 points from Vladimir Micov and 14 from Maarten Leunen.

Siena, the three-time defending champions, can sweep the series on Saturday night in Cantù.

Pianigiani, who is also Italy’s national team coach, was impressed by the opponents’ battling qualities, especially in the first half.

He said: “It is clear that we will have to have another excellent performance to win at Canterbury because NGC is a team that is certainly alive, as they showed again today …”

Meanwhile, Armani Jeans Milan have a 1-0 lead over Pepsi Caserta in the other semi-final.

Chris Monroe had 22 points and Jamie Arnold 19 as Milano won at Caserta.

Ebi Ere had a game-high 25 points in defeat.

Game 2 in that series will be on Friday night in Caserta.

FIBA