Not the best CUS of the season, but it was important to win and biancoblu do it, demonstrating the union of intentions, identity and character.
On the field of Cantalupa against a Pinerolo who suffers some absences but plays with great determination, the biancoblù never find the right tension and run into a bad evening shooting from distance and in conspicuous drops in concentration.
The stubbornness in shooting and a couple of high level plays give the decisive inertia in the first half of the fourth period and allow the Turinese to take home the success that isolates them at the top of the standings.
That it is not an evening of shooting for the biancoblu is obvious from the very first bars: three recoveries in a row are thwarted by poor aim. On the other hand, Pinerolo, who does not have the Tomatis reference point, clears the area and gets the space for the 4-0 of the 2 ‘.
After the draw of Conti, the Master Traveler puts together other recoveries, also wins several offensive rebounds, but plays under rhythm, loses balls in a trivial way and above all fails to hit the target, not even from the line.
The 12-6 of the 8 ‘comes from a place of the former Catozzi, the subsequent dubbing (16-8) from two free menegazzo.
In the last minute and a half the CUS suddenly raises its voice and with a stolen Conti for Petitti narrows the delay: 16-12.
The blues and whites seem to find the key to the problem and grab the opponent with Akoua, well served by Matteo Porcella, and a pair of Conti’s free throws: 16-16 on 11 ‘.
The very young Andrea Porcella works as a navigated scorer on Navone, and the first overtaking of the evening comes from Petitti, with a clear path from the line: 18-20.
The balance tip wobbles, Pinerolo puts it back on his side with Borda Bossana and Catozzi: 26-21. In bonus for many minutes, the Master Traveler still reveals difficulties in tuning the race, collects errors of inattention and keeps up with the breathlessness only thanks to a 3 out of 4 at a standstill by Akoua.
In the two minutes leading up to the interval, a basket from Nicoletti’s side and a steal turned into a solitary counterattack by Akoua offset a three-point broadside from Navone: 31-30.
The second half opens under the sign of Conti, who gives confidence to his team with three baskets in a row. Try and try again, at the end of the thousandth attempt the Master Traveler is released from the arch: he does it at 25 ‘with Boglione’s 35-39.
The hosts seem to bend their legs when Conti gets up in front of the basket for 37-41, and shortly after when Fantolino attacks the iron for 39-43. Pinerolo misses an easy conclusion from below and on the overthrow in front of Conti punishes him from 8 meters for the 41-46.
The wave seems propitious and the CUS rides it: the usual incoming Conti supports the +6 in the retina, therefore on the umpteenth conclusion failed by the opponents, perfect reading by Matteo Porcella who crushes in for his brother Andrea: 42-50.
The escape of biancoblu a couple of actions later, with a hat-trick from Boglione’s corner: 44-53. There is an infinity, 8 minutes.
The guests raise the quintet and from an action on a throw-in they find a quick 3-point shot by Matteo Porcella that seems to put them in cover once and for all: 45-56 at 34 ‘. Also because the solidity of the backward system brings two recoveries in a row. But the Master Traveler wastes everything and, from a replay, Pinerolo finds from Gatti the thrust from beyond the arched line that feeds his hopes again: 50-56.
Captain Fantolino touches the advantage with a free, Akoua hunts Navone, steals the ball and suffers an unsportsmanlike: once again the CUS is in the mood for gifts, both from the line and on extra possession.
The white-blue wall, however, holds up, recovers the rebound and on the other side Fantolino, 2’30 ”from the end, marks the 50-59 which is valid as a mortgage. The university students still protect the area with great attention and 30 seconds from the end they make the goal of very tiring safety with Akoua: 50-61.
BASKETBALL PINEROLO-MASTRO TRAVELER CUS TORINO 52-61
Partials: 16-12, 31-30, 41-46
PINEROLO: Mastroberti ne, Menegazzo 4, Peretti ne, Navone 11, Gatti 9, Molinero 2, Borda Bossana 9, Grosso, Maltese, Catozzi 17. All. White.
CUS TORINO: Conti 20, Porcella M. 3, Nicoletti 2, Petitti 5, Akoua 7, Fantolino 6, Tatsoptsa, Boglione 8, Bonadio 6, Porcella An. 4, Marangon ne All. Porcella Al. Ass. Subbiani.
