Ettore Messina shared his thoughts on the game his team lost to Hapoel Tel Aviv with a score of 83-105 in Round 12 of the EuroLeague.
At the press conference, the well-known coach also shared bad news about Nate Sestina.
“Compliments to them, in the second half they were much better than us. They dominated us. In the first half, we played a good offensive game, but defensively we never had the physicality and aggressiveness to try to limit them. Only 4 fouls committed in the first half, just to give a statistic. In the second half, we started poorly, they went ahead with a run for a +12 lead, and unfortunately, for the first time, the team was so frustrated that it practically gave up. Obviously, this is not a good thing; it was the worst part of the game. We gave up, dropped our arms, and allowed them to finish comfortably.”
“This is what we discussed among ourselves after the game. Some players are physically struggling, it’s clearly visible. You can lose, but you cannot play so depressed as we did in the second half. There was a moment when it really felt like adults against children. Obviously, this is not acceptable.”
Elijah Bryant’s strong performance guided Hapoel Tel Aviv to a convincing win over Olimpia Milano. 😤 pic.twitter.com/AroQwePRX8
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) November 20, 2025
“The point is that I believe in the second half, honestly, we did not play well, not only on defense but also on offense. Spaces were closed, and we got nervous. In the first part, we created many good shots, including open ones. Tonight we shot poorly, but even in a bad night, it was interesting to see Toté getting many minutes in the EuroLeague. He did some good things, some less good, but for his growth, these are experiences that will surely be useful to him.”
“Honestly, yes — they are the team that has impressed me the most. What struck me personally is that their guards have already found great balance among themselves in sharing the ball. They are all extremely high-level three-point shooters, and they create huge spacing. I had watched many of their games; more than once they scored over 100 points. They struggled against Olympiacos and Fenerbahce, two other Final Four contenders.
They also have, it seems to me, physically powerful and strong guards with the ability, I repeat, to create space for one another and to collaborate very well with each other. I believe they are the best shooting team in the EuroLeague in terms of percentages. In the first half, we even managed to force them into isolation plays, and they made some difficult shots. But then, in the second half, they managed to produce much more organized offense.”
“Sestina will undergo arm surgery next week, with an expected absence of at least three months. Lorenzo Brown is training, although not yet with the team. He will have one practice session before Belgrade, and his return is scheduled for after the break. Booker is returning tomorrow from the USA. And Josh Nebo is going through the protocols to come back from the knock he suffered when he fell.” – Messina said.
In the next round, Milano will visit Maccabi Tel Aviv (3–8) in Round 13 of the EuroLeague. The game is scheduled for November 26 at 18:00.
