Savona. Last round of the playout, a decisive series to decide who will remain in Serie A2 next year between Amatori Savona and Nico Basket.
Both teams are returning from defeats in Game 3 of the first playout round: Savona against Capri and Ponte Buggianese against Battipaglia.
Biancorosse who show up at PalaPagnini still orphans of Paleari, Salvestrini and of the long-term Poletti.
Savona starts off on the right foot and immediately finds points from Pobozy, Sansalone and Picasso: the good scoring vein of the red and white is also supported by a very careful defensive approach especially in the containment of the long shots of Ponte Buggianese, which in the first five minutes will only go to target with Bacchini with a triple and an average shot.
Picasso’s third triple (who scores 11 points in the first quarter) and Dagliano’s, bring APS to +9 two minutes from the first interval. Nico Basket, however, does not let himself be frightened and in the last bars of the first period he finds important answers from Dzinic and Bacchini. At the first siren result on 24-17.
The long phase of point-by-point chase between the two teams begins in the second period: the host team approaches up to -3 thanks to Giangrasso and Mattera, Savona responds with Sansalone and Nezaj.
The problems of fouls begin for the red and white, with coach Dagliano forced to preserve Zanetti and Picasso (both with 3 personal fouls) but, despite this, the level of the Savona defense does not decrease in intensity especially in the
painted and Ponte Buggianese successfully relies on Tintori’s triple to stay in the game. We go to the interval at 38-34.
Stall phase in the first minutes of the second half: Nico Basket starts well and moves to -2 from the Savonais who do not score for three minutes and then are released with Leonardini and Pobozy.
If the difficult goal of the Polish player seems to be an important watershed for the game, the visiting team does not give up and gets back into the game thanks to Giangrasso and Dzinic who bring their team back to -4. Ceccardi and Nezaj want to quickly close the conversation and with their baskets they lead Amatori Savona up to 54-45 at the end of the third quarter.
First half of the fourth period in which you score with the dropper: this situation favors Savona who seems to be able to manage the 11 points advantage until the end of the race. Fatigue begins to make itself felt and both lack clarity in the offensive phase. On the other hand, the closures and the defensive aids were good, leading to a couple of blocks from pobozy and Ceccardi.
But, as often happens at Palapagnini, the game does not cease to amaze the huge crowd that flocked to the building in Corso Tardy and Benech: Tintori and Dzinic bring Ponte Buggianese back to -4 for the last desperate comeback attempt by the visiting team. Only the imprecision of the free riders of the rosanero allows Savona to maintain some points of detachment.
In the last minute of the game, however, the girls of coach Dagliano are cynical from the line and can thus rejoice at the final siren: Amatori Savona 66 Nico Basket 60.
“The girls were good at not giving up after the defeat in Game 3 against Capri: instead they returned more determined and united than ever in the gym to prepare this series from the inside out. Matches like these are prepared by studying the opponents in depth but then the difference is made by steadfast nerves and the desire to save himself “. These are the words of Giacomo Cacace, assistant to coach Dagliano, in the post-match.
Next appointment on Wednesday 25 May at 9 pm in Ponte Buggianese for race 2.
The match report:
Azimut Amateurs Basketball Savona – Nico Basket 66-60
(Partials: 24-17, 38-34, 54-45)
Azimut Amateurs Basketball Savona: Pobozy 13, Sansalone 10, Zanetti 3, Leonardini 6, Picasso 15, Nezaj 6, Dagliano 6, Ceccardi 7, Ghigliotto, Pitzalis ne – All. Dagliano, ass Cacace, Faranna.
Nico Basket: Nerini 3, Bacchini 12, Tintori 10, Giangrasso 15, Dzinic 14, Giglio Tos 1, Mattera 5, Cibeca, Modini A., Mengoli, Mariani, Farnesi – All. Rastelli.
