EA7 Emporio Armani Milan strengthened its EuroLeague play-in push with a 96-87 victory over Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv on Friday night at Allianz Cloud, improving to 16-15 in the standings.
The Italian club secured its fifth win in the last seven games, while Maccabi fell to 14-16 and saw its four-game winning streak come to an end in a tightly contested matchup.
Josh Nebo delivered one of his most productive outings of the season against his former team, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds to anchor Milan’s interior presence.
Shavon Shields provided the late scoring punch, recording 17 points with 11 coming in the fourth quarter to halt Maccabi’s comeback attempt.
The visitors grabbed early momentum and edged the opening quarter 26-25 after Tamir Blatt drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer from beyond midcourt.
Milan responded with improved defensive positioning and ball movement in the second quarter, turning the game with a 28-16 period that produced a 53-42 halftime advantage.
The hosts extended the margin to 59-44 early in the third quarter, forcing Maccabi to adjust offensively and increase its pace.
The Israeli side answered behind strong contributions from Gur Lavi and Lonnie Walker IV, gradually trimming the deficit and cutting the score to 84-80 in the final minutes.
At that moment, Milan’s perimeter execution decided the outcome.
Shields knocked down consecutive three-pointers to restore separation, allowing the Italian club to control the final possessions and close the game at the free-throw line.
Zach LeDay added 15 points for Milan, while Marko Guduric finished with 11 points and eight assists and Quinn Ellis contributed 12.
Maccabi received 16 points from Walker, while Lavi recorded 15 on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting night and Roman Sorkin and Jimmy Clark III each scored 13.
Free-throw efficiency also played a decisive role as Milan converted 27 of 30 attempts, compared to 18 of 26 for the visitors.
Milan will next visit Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on March 20, while Maccabi travels to face LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.
