Olimpia Milano — Virtus Bologna: 80:71, Lega A - Super Cup

Olimpia Milano saw off Virtus Bologna 80-71 in the Italian Super Cup on Friday evening. The hosts held firm through a tight contest to claim the silverware. It was a result that kept the momentum they'd been building going into the new season.

What struck me watching was how Milano managed the game. They didn't travel to make up the numbers, and they showed it. The final margin might not look wide, but the quality of possession in the closing stages told the real story.

We'd called for a home win at 54 percent confidence before the game. The prediction came good, and it wasn't luck — Milano had been the steadier side in their recent outings. Three wins from five against Venice, plus that victory over Brescia, suggested they'd turned a corner.

Virtus Bologna came in with mixed form. They'd beaten Venice 98-79 on June first, but that was followed by defeats in three of their next four. The inconsistency was there for anyone watching. By then, you could see they were still finding their rhythm.

The Italian Super Cup has always been about setting the tone for what's coming. Milano now have that confidence boost. Virtus will need to regroup quickly — they're running out of games before the proper season starts.