Eight teams, only one winner: everything is ready in Battipaglia for the Serie A2 Italian Cup. For the first time in years, we are already sure that there will be a new formation in the Roll of Honor: with Crema, dominating for five editions, out of the running, a new team is ready to write its name in the Roll of Gold and in six cases (the only former winners Costa Masnaga and La Spezia) it would be a historic first time.
All about the matches scheduled from Friday:
USE ROSA SCOTTI EMPOLI vs LIMONTA COSTA MASNAGA (2.30 pm, live broadcast LBF TV)
The leaders of the South Group against a somewhat atypical fourth in the North Group, given that they are now third and fully in the running for the top. Use Rosa Scotti Empoli against Limonta Costa Masnaga: a fascinating match, which less than 12 months ago we admired in Serie A1. Today, these are two very pleasant teams to watch: Costa and Empoli are the two best attacks present in these Final Eights. Racing, three-point shooting and intensity, for two healthy teams: Empoli has won seven of the last eight games, Costa Masnaga is in the league with 11 victories. In short, a guaranteed show and a match that can be highly scored.
The duel – For Costa Masnaga Victoria Students she has often been, in the past, not only an all-around you can count on but also a pivot from a defensive point of view. Having long arms and good physicality, it cannot be excluded that he can, depending on the moments of the match, take over one of the Tina Cvijanovic is Katrin Stoichkova: Cvijanovic is more technically set up for long shots, but loves to start from outside and finish in penetration (58% from two for her, second best in the league), Stoichkova (probably in her best career season) is more of a spot-up shooter, 41 % threes and an open streak 14 games with at least one triple. You will need a versatile defender for Costa in both cases, and perhaps Allievi is the best answer for coach Seletti.
MVP Watch – In the Empoli house one cannot fail to use the name of Antonia Peresson, who despite having directing duties (2.9 assists in the season) is still the player of great occasions and last shots: she has shown it again this season, with the 36 points scored against Patti in the epic clash which, at this moment, decides the championship standings. For Costa Masnaga we spend the name of Patricia Brossmann: the German is setting the championship on fire and in the last seven games she has gone double-double six times, the impression is that Empoli (and also other Final Eight teams) has few answers due to the current physicality of the Teutonic team, net of the excellent performance of Laura Manetti near the basket.
IL PONTE CASA D’ASTE SANGA MILAN vs CESTISTICA SPEZZINA (4.30 pm, live broadcast LBF TV)
Sanga Milano is the most compact team of this early season in the Northern Group: third attack of the Final Eight, second defense, second for goal difference. Coach Pinotti’s training has only one problem: being a rookie, he has no experience in this competition. Play against one of the most experienced clubs in playing a Final Eight, and with a group that has already played last season: La Spezia can count on this type of experience, even if organic in hand and given the recent performance of the Ligurians (defeat against Stella Azzurra Roma, clear defeat against Patti, painful victory in Selargius) starts decidedly underdog against a team that is 18-1 in the season.
The duel – Nancy N’Guessan and Susanna Toffali they are both very important assets of their teams. They have a past in common with Costa, otherwise not so much: N’Guessan is fast but more physical, Toffali has a great first step and is perhaps more explosive (11.2 points per game). However, both represent an interesting offensive option for La Spezia and Sanga, and whoever does better will lend a big hand to his team for the victory.
MVP Watch – For the Sanga one cannot but spend the name of Richelle Van der Keijl, dominant long who is showing great rebounding ability given by the size, but also excellent efficiency with polite post movements: the long spezzine have physical qualities but perhaps lack the long levers (the tallest, Pini, still owes 11 centimeters to the Dutch ), the pivot can worry them from the top of the third two-point percentage of the tournament (55%). La Spezia does not have a real dominant name, it has a more distributed workforce: but the name of the most expert player, Elisa Templarimay be a polite choice. Among the players with the most experience in A2, her experience and her ability to score points in decisive moments is the main asset available to coach Corsolini: moreover, she comes from seven double figures in a row before the Cup and is a 36-point shooter % from behind the arc.
AUTOSPED CASTELNUOVO SCRIVIA vs PALAGIACCIO FLORENCE (6.30 pm, live broadcast LBF TV)
Molino’s team had to be a battleship, the truth of the championship so far is saying something else: many physical problems, a chemistry yet to be found, some empty passes on a single match that are not exciting. Then you look at the standings, however, and you read 17-2 record, first defense and best team for difference between baskets: in short, there is room for improvement, but Castelnuovo Scrivia is definitely among the favourites. Net of the unavailable (unfortunately there are no precise official bulletins but the situation of Ravelli and Gatti must certainly be paid attention to, given the last few weeks). In the same way, Marta Rossini’s injury seriously penalized the season in Florence: the play guard returned from two games, but the feeling is that his return was limited and managed by the skilful Tuscan coach Corsini, waiting for the big stages, giving more space to his offensive alternatives (great moment for De Cassan, back from 20+10 against Matelica). And the Coppa Italia is one of them.
The duel – Both play/guards with points in hand Sofia Marangoni e Martha Rossini they are the most attractive players, if only because until last year they were the main leaders of the scoring charts. The feeling is that on both sides the two teams have other options on the wingers (Baldelli, Bonasia for the Piedmontese; Capra and Cremona for the Tuscans) but the result of the match can pass from an explosive performance by the two players with the greatest offensive productivity. 13.6 points per game, 37% from three and 3.5 assists for Marangoni, 13.5 points with 57% from two for Rossini: whoever equals or surpasses these numbers can make the difference.
MVP Watch – In the Castelnuovo Scrivia house it would be wrong not to pass by Nina Premasunac, by degrees and experience the most important player: she also demonstrated this season, where she is the leader in two-point percentage of the tournament (59%) and recorded seven double-doubles. Without, arguably, a 100% Marta Rossini, Florence relies on the supreme athleticism of Alexandrine Obouh Fegue, who has authentic “crack” numbers for the championship, mainly due to her athleticism: a reactive and explosive longline like her can be a thorn in the side for the expert Castelnuovese formation. 10.9 points, 14 rebounds and above all 2.3 blocks per match which send out a message: attacking in the area against Florence is inadvisable, perhaps it is better to “open the box” with a shot from outside.
O.ME.PS AFORA GIVOVA BATTIPAGLIA vs WOMENAPU DELSER CRICH UDINE (8.30 pm, live broadcast LBF TV)
Two teams that don’t arrive in top form for the Cup: Udine have lost four of their last seven matches, and have shown some fragility even in the second half of the last outing against Bolzano, it must be said that they faced without Bovenzi; Battipaglia really has a lot of bad luck, with the injuries of Crudo, Seka and Cutrupi which forced her to -25 against Umbertide. In addition, the bells had to manage a change during the week, that of the Czech Rylichova for the Italian-Paraguagian Paola Ferrari, a highly experienced player (37 years old) but who will have to join in a very short time.
The duel – Young Italians in directing, the challenge between will be very interesting Gaia Castelli e Giorgia Bovenzi, two players who wore the Azzurro continuously in the Summer, also making a good impression. Perhaps they are not the team’s key players, but Castelli in directing will probably have to dictate a high pace (Battipaglia’s goal may be to tire Turmel and company a little) and churn out assists, 13 in the last three games, while Bovenzi will have the task of trigger his French pivot and attack an area in Battipagliese which, with Cutrupi not in top condition, could be more permeable than usual.
MVP Watch – For Udine a very strong name is that of Sarah Ronchi: spatial creator, on which the fate of Udine depends. When he scores a lot, Udine tends to win: and it happens quite frequently given that Ronchi has scored 25 or more points five times during the season. Battipaglia, in a complex moment, gathers around the Italian-American Breanna Alford, which is a long one which, due to its characteristics, can try to undermine the Turmel totem in the painting, while allowing it at least ten centimeters. On the other hand, Alford is in a good moment, having registered three double-doubles in his last four outings.
QUARTER FI FINAL
Friday 3 March
• Use Basket Rosa Empoli-Costa Masnaga – 2.30pm
• Sanga Milano-Cestistica Spezzina – 4.30 pm
• Castelnuovo Scrivia-Florence Women’s Basketball – 6.30pm
• Women APU Udine-O.ME.PS Afora Givova Battipaglia – 8.30 pm
SEMIFINALS
Saturday 4th March
• Semi-finals 1 – 18:00
• Semi-finals 2 – 20:00
FINALE
Sunday 5th March
• Final – 6.00 pm
All matches will be broadcast live on LBF TV. The Final will also be broadcast live on MS Channel – Channel 814 of Sky.
The event will be preceded by an exclusive gala evening: on Thursday 2 March, at the Hotel Mec in Paestum, starting at 19:30, the Inaugural Ceremony of the Final Eight will be held: in a beautiful and elegant location, at the presence of political and sporting institutions, the 8 participating teams will meet together to share the joy of being able to compete for a very prestigious trophy starting the following day.