Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz continued its strong home form by defeating EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 88–78 on Friday night at Buesa Arena, using balanced scoring, defensive pressure and a composed second half to control Round 14.
The matchup brought an added layer of familiarity, with Milan head coach Peppe Poeta returning to Vitoria to face Matteo Spagnolo, the guard he once mentored during their time together at Vanoli Cremona.
Spagnolo immediately took command of the opening quarter, scoring 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting as Baskonia entered the second frame ahead 23–20.
He added 5 more before halftime and later anchored the third quarter defensively, where Baskonia held Milan to just 12 points.
By the start of the fourth, the hosts had built a 70–54 advantage, a cushion that proved more than enough.
Spagnolo finished with 18 points, 4 assists and 3 steals in under 27 minutes, delivering his second-highest scoring output of the season.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot gave Baskonia a steady offensive presence, putting up 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting while collecting 5 rebounds.
Baskonia’s defense played a decisive role, generating 10 steals and forcing 17 Milan turnovers that repeatedly disrupted Poeta’s halfcourt structure.
Milan’s offensive efforts came primarily from Luca Bolmaro and Austin Brooks, who scored 16 points each, but the visitors struggled to gain rhythm from deep, finishing 5-of-19 from three-point range.
Baskonia relied heavily on its activity across multiple positions, with Khalifa Diop and Radions Kurucs contributing on the glass to secure a 36–35 rebounding edge.
The energy inside Buesa Arena carried the hosts through stretches where perimeter shots were inconsistent, particularly during a third-quarter surge when they outscored Milan 21–12.
Milan attempted to mount a push in the fourth behind Bolmaro’s rim attacks and Shavon Shields’ drives, but Baskonia consistently responded with transition buckets and timely defensive stops.
Galbiati’s side improved to 5–9 with the win, strengthening its momentum at home, where the team has now captured seven straight victories across all competitions.
Milan dropped to 7–7 after failing to capitalize on a strong second quarter and committing costly turnovers in key possessions.
Baskonia will travel to Madrid next Thursday for a matchup with Real Madrid, while Milan will host Panathinaikos on the same night as both teams head into Round 15 aiming to stabilize their midseason positioning.
