ALLIANZ GEAS SESTO SAN GIOVANNI – LA MOLISANA MAGNOLIA CAMPOBASSO 62-70 (27-16, 44-27; 48-48)
SESTO SAN GIOVANNI: Dotto 8 (4/7, 0/2), Crudo 8 (3/5, 0/4), Gwathney 17 (4/12, 1/2), Raca 17 (4/8, 2/4 ), Trick 6 (3/6, 0/3); Panzera (0/2, 0/4), Ercoli 6 (3/6), Fietta. Ne: Ramon, Merisio and Valli. All.: Zanotti.
CAMPOBASSO: Trimboli 11 (1/2, 2/3), Chagas 17 (1/5, 5/8), Parks 16 (3/9, 1/6), Nicolodi 3 (1/6, 0/1), Gray 11 (4/8, 0/1); Lawrence 2 (1/3), Quiñonez 2 (1/1, 0/3), Togliani 8 (1/2, 2/3), Amateurs. Ne: Trozzola and Vitali. All.: Sabatelli.
REFEREES: Gagno (Treviso), Tommasi (Rome) and Bertuccioli (Pesaro).
NOTE: free throws: Sesto San Giovanni 11/14; Campobasso 14/16. Rebounds: Sesto San Giovanni 44 (Raw 10); Campobasso 39 (Nicolodi 8). Assist: Sesto San Giovanni 13 (Dotto 5); Campobasso 11 (Trimboli and Parks 4). Score progression: 13-5 (5 ‘), 38-22 (15’), 46-38 (25 ‘), 54-56 (35’). Maximum advantage: Sesto San Giovanni 22 (44-22); Campobasso 8 (62-70).
Like two-faced Janus. Middle distance runners in the first two quarters, sprinter – like the fresh La Molisana testimonial Marcel Jacobs – in the second half. The Molisana Magnolia Campobasso hits the second consecutive success going to establish itself in Sesto San Giovanni and climbing to sixth place in the standings (the same position obtained also at the halfway point, the recovery in Lombardy was the last match of the first round for the rossoblù) with the prospect – now – at the Final Eight in San Martino di Lupari of a confrontation in the quarters with Virtus Bologna. So on an evening in which the triples of Chagas and Trimboli literally open the defensive box of coach Zanotti’s quintet, the #fiorid Acciaio start the series of two consecutive challenges in the North in the best possible way (on Saturday there will be the match at the home of the unbeaten leaders Schio).
UNDER RHYTHM The start for the rossoblù is diesel with Crudo who signs a 4-0 able to split the dispute because it forces the #fiorid Acciaio to have to chase their opponents. The campobassane also go ahead with Gray (4-5), but suffer a break of 9-0 (13-5) which disrupts the trend of the fourth. Parks finds in two circumstances the -5 and also the -3 on 19-16, but here the rossoblù attack gets bogged down with a further 8-0 that closes the set at 27-16.
BREATHLESS Togliani’s two triples try to keep the rossoblùs in the slipstream at the start of the second period, even if the Rossoblù’s construction problems exalt the offensive averages of the Lombard players dragged by Dotto. A triple of Raca is worth +16 for the hosts (38-22). The sixths end up doubling the magnolias after Gwathney’s free throws with a triple from Chagas who tries to give new life to the #fiorid Acciaio under 17 (44-27) at the long interval.
INDIAVOLATED RHYTHM The return from the long interval is a symphony for the campobassane, who score a 9-0 run (with two triples by Chagas) that bring the rossoblùs back up to -8 of 44-36. Again the Argentine of the magnolias with his fourth triple of the period impacted at 46 and it was then Togliani who signed the overtaking (46-48). Ercoli, for the hosts, hits 48, but the period is to be crossed for the Molise women, able to score twenty-one points in attack in the ten minutes and to grant only four in defense thanks to an application monster.
DECISIVE SPRINT Sesto San Giovanni tries to move forward, but Nicolodi’s three-point game (formerly of the day) gives the rossoblù +2 (52-54). Parks takes margin holdings to two (52-56). Sesto draws again. Then it is Trimboli with a triple to impact at 59. And it is still the Julian point guard who blows up the Molise fans present in Lombardy (59-62).
Parks ‘free throws are worth +5 of 59-64 and, again from the line, Trimboli approaches success (59-66), always sealed with the clock stopped by Parks (61-68) and by Chagas’ basket (62-70) ) on the defensive pressure of the sixths to complete a break of 48-18 in the space of 21’53 ”.
FROM THE CHANGING ROOMS In the analysis with the report closed, the coach of the magnolias Mimmo Sabatelli is immediately stressed on what happened in the long interval. “Nothing in particular – explains – we analyzed, thanks to the five consecutive points in the final of the second period, the situations to change especially at the level of defensive attitude and the team was more serene, after we had conceded too much at the start, failing instead to find the way to the basket in attack. Then, however, we came back with a different attitude and turned around the inertia of the dispute ».
This exploit is worth the sixth place at the halfway point for the campobassane, who, in the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup in San Martino di Lupari, will face Virtus Bologna. «It will certainly be a fascinating challenge – reflects the rossoblù trainer – but we will have time to think about it, now we have to project ourselves on the next championship match ».
And on a sixth place in the overall standings to try to defend until the end of April: “We have to – comments the coach Campobassano – regain awareness of the qualities of a group that can compete with anyone and that will try to do their best, trying to win the greatest number of races, but always projecting ourselves on one commitment at a time ».
SCHIO IMMEDIATELY For the rossoblù now, by return of post, there will be back on the parquet again with the away match on Saturday evening – duo at 19.30 – at the PalaRomare in Schio to challenge the orange leaders of the maximum tournament in the national squad with a roster in fairytale national borders (no stop immediately).
