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Basket Serie A2
Top scorer Leonardo Okeke, in double double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and +24 rating
Double-double for Leo Okeke in Scafati (photo JBM)
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After a season already full of injuries and bad luck, in the first playoff match on Novipiù, the nightmare of positivity at Covid also strikes. For coach Valentini’s boys, the “PalaMangano” match, which already seemed a feat as shown by coach Rossi’s Givova in the regular season, becomes an insurmountable obstacle. Commendable the commitment of the rossoblùs in the first half, who with very small rotations keep Scafati “within range”, responding blow for blow to all the stretches of the hosts. And in the first actions of the second half, the triples of Valentini and Sarto almost give the impression of being able to witness something truly unique. Then Givova finds the extension with Ikagi and Monaldi, while Clarke’s cynicism from the arc definitively condemns Novipiù. Scafati escapes to over 5 possessions of advantage, a decisive blow in the economy of the match. The last quarter is practically not played, with the two teams saving energy for game-two, which will be staged on Monday 7 May (8.45 pm), again at the “PalaMangano”.
Bad tile at JBM, with Martinoni and Williams results that during the pre-match routine checks tested positive for Covid and immediately placed in isolation. Coach Valentini has to get back to starting-five, fielding Fabio Valentini, Sarto, Ghirlanda, Hill-Mais and Okeke on the parquet, while Luca Valentini, recovering from the foot surgery, takes his place on the bench to make up the number. The match begins with Sarto’s long-two; Scafati immediately replies with Cucci’s partial staff. The first few minutes of the game are quite surreal. JBM is desperately trying to organize a game strategy, Givova seems surprised by an extremely anomalous and adapted Novipiù and gets caught up in a frenzy. With so many minutes on the pitch, Okeke begins to vary, finding two-handed dunks and also performing in the placed shots. On 11-10, at 7 ‘, Leggio and Formenti enter, the only effective changes available to coach Valentini. Coach Rossi, on the other hand, can calmly make all the owners rotate, taking advantage of the “very long” bench of the Gialloblùi. In the final minutes of the first quarter Rossato’s great energy emerges, who throws himself into the dribble between the shirts of the defense in the rossoblù zone, producing assists for the final draw of his team.In the first mini-break Givova leads 16-12.
The agreement between Okeke and Fabio Valentini produces excellent ideas, while Rossato remains a real thorn in the side for the JBM defense; on 25-17 coach Valentini stops the match. Confused phase of the game; Hill-Corn adapts to an occasional point guard, Daniel allows himself an effective defensive roaming. Scafati fails to run away, burdened by the many fouls committed: the trip to the foul line by Leggio, who from experience takes advantage of De Laurentiis’ ingenuity on the siren by making three free throws, sends the two teams to 37-30 in the locker room.
It starts again with Fabio Valentini who finds the first rossoblù triple, immediately imitated by Sarto for an overwhelming start to the second half. The presence of Cournooh, a former junior signed by Givova for the playoffs, is felt. Counterpart signed by Ikangi and Monaldi, who brings the hosts up +12 (45-36 at 24 ‘), maximum advantage, convincing the JBM technical staff to call time-out. The Novipiù sinks back into the nightmare of free turnovers, the authentic Achilles heel of Valentini’s team in the season finale. Clarke also enters the game, who reaches in an amen Okeke in double figures in the personal loot. The third quarter ends with the scoreboard of the “PalaMangano” which scores 57-43.
In the last fraction the pace slows down and the JBM loses clarity, opting for impromptu solutions. 6 ‘from the siren Scafati has full control of the match, defending the 19 points lead (64-45). In the last 4 ‘of the game we see good individual technical gestures, with the players aiming to finish in the weekly highlights. Race-one ends on the 76-51.
Only Okeke ends the match with a double-digit personal tally, registering 17 points and 11 rebounds for his second double double in a row. The JBM has a realization rate of 34% of the shots attempted, with 3/21 in the long-range shot, a percentage that has dropped significantly in the last quarter, while Scafati has transformed 45% of the shots attempted into points, with 8 triples overall in the report. After two quarters the Novipiù had a 39% shooting percentage, with no triples scored on the 12 attempts; Givova, on the other hand, scored 41% of the attempts attempted. Novipiù loses the rebound challenge (40-34). The two key statistics are assists and turnovers: Novipiù recorded only 4 assists, the worst result of the season, while Scafati scored 20. The rossoblùs lost 24 balls in total.
This is the comment of coach Andrea Valentini: «The score is 1-0 and not 76-51, because in the playoffs the score counts relatively. For three quarters we managed to stay in the game, then we had a noticeable physical decline due to the situation, since this morning we lost Martinoni and Williams and we hope to recover them for Race-3, but it is not up to us. From this point of view we lost two of our lights from the offensive point of view, but in any case we had a good race for 27 minutes, as long as our physical energies allowed us. Honestly, with 24 turnovers it is unthinkable to be able to play point by point in Scafati, especially for the completeness of the roster that Givova has set up, and throwing away the balls means giving oxygen to the opponents. We built some very good three-point shots during the game but we didn’t finalize and that’s why we scored 51 points. We played a good game in defense, limiting those players who scored a lot of points during the championship. Now we have to recover some physical and mental energy, but we are here and we want to try to put Scafati in difficulty and we have the possibility to do it: in Race-2 we will try to file the turnovers and defend our own a little more. basket».
GIVOVA SCAFATI – NOVIPIU ‘JB MONFERRATO 76-51 (16-12; 37-30; 57-43)
HULLED: Clarke 11 (1/2, 3/6), Daniel 11 (5/6, 0/2), Mobio 11 (4/8, 1/2), Rossato 10 (3/5, 0/2), Monaldi 9 (0/2, 3/7), De Laurentiis 9 (4/4), Cucci 7 (1/3, 1/2), Cournooh 7 (2/3, 0/2), Ikangi 1 (0/4, 0/1), Parravicini (0/1, 0/1), Perrino, Grimaldi. Herds A. Rossi.
NOVIPIÙ JBM: Okeke 17 (6/11), Lectern 9 (2/2, 0/5), Tailor 7 (2/4, 1/5), Hill-Corn 6 (3/5, 0/2), Garland 5 (1 / 4, 1/2), Fabio Valentini 3 (0/4, 1/3), Formenti 2 (1/4, 0/4), Sirchia 2 (1/1), Lomele. Luca Valentini in All. A. Valentini.
