Coach Azzollini lines up the classic starting quintet with Loprieno, Ippedico, Begić, Došić and Christensen. Coach Giuseppe Vozza responds with Carone, Polifemo, Roljic, Argento and Cvetanovic. The match opens with the winning penetration of Polifemo, to which the red and white captain Giuseppe Ippedico immediately responds with a series of baskets, which lead Pavimaro Pallacanestro Molfetta for the first time in the evening. An excellent defensive job, two excellent transitions, a triple from Loprieno and the masterful rebounding work of Christensen and Došić create the first groove of the day, bringing the red and white to eleven points ahead just three minutes of play from the end of the first fraction of competition. The hosts try to respond blow for blow, but Molfetta continues to dominate and the first ten minutes of play ends with the traveling players leading 16-31.
The second period of the game is characterized by a greater rotation of the staff by both coaches. Molfetta continues to dominate under the planks and, thanks to the excellent iron work of the two longs Došić and Christensen, also reaches +13 two minutes from the long interval. On the other hand, a series of lunges by the Brindisi team closed the second part of the game, sending the two teams to a long break with a score of 34-46.
We return to the field with the starting quintets and with Pavimaro Pallacanestro Molfetta able to maintain concentration and effectively manage the control of the match: a fundamental triple from Begić, the house specialty, increases the gap between the two teams again to twelve. points of difference. But it is the game under the basket of the two Molfetta centers that makes the difference, with the latter also distinguished by the shot from the 6.75-meter line. A few more forays into the center of the Brindisi team that, thanks to the baskets of Carone and Roljic, slightly reduce the gap between the two contenders, closing the set on a score of 53-64.
The last quarter opens with Brindisi more energetic and motivated, and with the red and white who pay a little for the reduced rotations, suffering the pressure of the home team who, with a triple from Vitucci and two consecutive baskets than the usual Roljic, reduces the distances to only five points. It is in the most difficult moment of the evening that Christensen (with a providential triple, absolute MVP of the match) and Došić (three consecutive baskets from the three-point line) rise to the chair.
Game, set, match. At the PalaMelfi in Brindisi the Molfetta winners, with the latter returning home with the first, essential, two points of the season. Next match for the red and white on Sunday 30 October at 20:00 at PalaPoli in Molfetta against CCEN LSB Lecce.
