Geoff Gillingham dives into some of the most noteworthy factors from the Little Red Shoes' triumph this weekend
The main takeaways as Milan wins the Italian Super Cup
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5 Minute de lecture
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan has kicked off the 2025–26 season in style, successfully defending its Italian Super Cup title for the second consecutive year.
After outlasting Virtus Bologna 93–86 in an overtime thriller in the semifinals, the Little Red Shoes led from wire to wire in the final, defeating Germani Brescia 90–76 to lift the Super Cup for the sixth time in club history. Fittingly, the victory came at its home court, Unipol Forum – just as it did in 2016.
But beyond the trophy, what are the key takeaways from Milan’s Super Cup performances this weekend?
MVP moment: Quinn Ellis arrives
The breakout star of the weekend? None other than 22-year-old guard Quinn Ellis.
Signed this summer from Dolomiti Energia Trento, Ellis entered the fourth quarter of the semifinal with just 4 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, and 2 steals. But by the end of the night, he was the name on everyone’s lips. He scored 5 points in the fourth quarter – including a game-tying three with just 2 seconds left – and added 3 assists, 2 defensive rebounds, and a steal down the stretch. In overtime, he added yet another rebound and assist, finishing with a 9-point, 4-rebound, 5-assist, 3-steal stat line.
He followed that performance with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist in the final against Brescia, which saw him seal Super Cup MVP honors. While he’s behind seasoned guards like Lorenzo Brown and Marko Guduric in the rotation, Ellis has already shown coach Ettore Messina that he’s ready to contribute – and perhaps even surprise a few people along the way.
Josh Nebo is back
After a frustrating, injury-plagued 2024–25 season, Josh Nebo looked like a man on a mission during Sunday's final.
Though he struggled against Virtus (1 point, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 3 turnovers in 20 minutes), he bounced back in a big way in the title decider: 18 points, 7 rebounds, an assist, a steal, a block – and no turnovers. It was a performance that looked more like the Nebo we saw in the yellow of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.
His teammate Lorenzo Brown summed it up just a few days ago: “I think he is a lot more hungry and, if possible, even more athletic than when I left him at Maccabi.” If Nebo stays healthy, his pairing with new signing Devin Booker could be one of the most formidable center duos in the EuroLeague this season.
Leading by example
No surprises here — Shavon Shields and Zach LeDay stepped up exactly when Milan needed them.
Shields, now entering his sixth year with the club and serving as co-captain alongside Pippo Ricci, led all scorers in the semifinal with 23 points and added 10 more in the final. Injury setbacks have slowed him in recent seasons, but if this weekend is any indication, he’s ready to return to the All-EuroLeague form he showed in 2020–21 and 2021–22.
LeDay, in his second straight year with Milan after returning in 2024, contributed 18 points and 6 rebounds in the semifinal, then followed it with 11 points and 5 boards in the final. With Nikola Mirotic now in Monaco, LeDay’s role is only growing – and so far, he looks up to the challenge.
Their experience, leadership, and consistency will be vital as Milan opens its EuroLeague campaign with two tough road games in Belgrade against Crvena Zvezda and Partizan this coming week.
Final thoughts
After three straight years missing the EuroLeague Playoffs, Milan’s Super Cup victory should inject belief into a roster that is hungry to return to Europe’s elite.
It’s only September and nobody’s handing out EuroLeague wins just yet, but Milan looks ready to be a force this season.