Baskonia Vitoria vs Olimpia Milano: EuroLeague Recap

Baskonia Vitoria made home advantage count in the EuroLeague on October 3, 2026, defeating Olimpia Milano 87-76 at Buesa Arena. The Spanish side used a balanced scoring attack and a decisive second-half run to pull away from the Italian giants, improving their early-season positioning in the EuroLeague standings.

The game was billed as a matchup between Baskonia’s up-tempo offense and Milano’s half-court discipline. For long stretches, it lived up to that promise. Baskonia led 22-19 after the first quarter, extended the margin to 44-37 by halftime, and then broke the game open in the third period with a 12-2 run that pushed the lead into double digits.

Match Overview

Baskonia finished with four players in double figures and shot better than 50% from two-point range. The home team also won the rebound battle, a key factor against an Olimpia Milano team that likes to control tempo through its frontcourt. Milano stayed within striking distance behind timely three-point shooting, but costly turnovers in the third quarter allowed Baskonia to seize control.

The final score of 87-76 slightly flattered the visitors in the closing minutes, as Baskonia emptied its bench with the result already secure. It was a professional home performance: no letdown, no late drama, and a valuable EuroLeague win against a direct playoff rival.

Key Moments

• First quarter: Baskonia set the tone with aggressive perimeter defense, forcing Milano into two early shot-clock violations.
• Second quarter: Milano briefly took a 31-30 lead, but Baskonia answered with a 10-0 run capped by a transition dunk.
• Third quarter: The decisive stretch. Baskonia’s 12-2 run turned a five-point game into a 17-point cushion.
• Fourth quarter: Milano cut the deficit to nine with three minutes left, but Baskonia hit four straight free throws to seal it.

Tactical Story

Baskonia’s coach went deep into the rotation, using a smaller lineup to switch screens and disrupt Milano’s pick-and-roll attack. That strategy worked: Milano’s big men were forced to defend in space, and Baskonia’s guards repeatedly attacked the rim. On offense, Baskonia shared the ball well, finishing with more than 20 assists. Milano, meanwhile, relied too heavily on isolation plays and struggled to generate clean looks when Baskonia switched.

Standout Players

Markus Howard led Baskonia with a game-high 22 points, including four three-pointers. Chima Moneke added a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Tadas Sedekerskis contributed 12 points and strong defense. For Olimpia Milano, Nikola Mirotic scored 18 points and Shavon Shields added 15, but Milano’s bench was outscored by a significant margin.

EuroLeague Impact

The win gives Baskonia momentum in the EuroLeague regular season and reinforces their reputation as one of the toughest home teams in the competition. For Milano, the loss is a reminder that road games in Vitoria remain among the most difficult tests in European basketball. The head-to-head result could matter when playoff seeding is decided later in the season.