Trento – Not the easiest commitment for Openjobmetis who are traveling to a Trento team at the top of the rankings and coached by the former Galbiati. In these first phases of the season, the Trentino team have shown themselves to be a very solid team with excellent results between the championship and the Eurocup.
Varese tries, but fails to leave the Trentino arena with the two points in his pocket. A match that could have had a different outcome ends 106-100. Even with all the problems relating to the current OJM, it is the details that condemn a Varese team that could have reached the final sprint on par. The errors on the line, 75% of the team and a Gray who left precious points on the charity line, or Fall’s blunder which in the 20th minute left Ford all alone on the perimeter for three comfortable points. Basketball is made up of details and these often decide the fate of a match that Varese, despite all its current limitations, has almost managed to play. Despite losing the fight under the glass again: 46-34 with 13 offensive rebounds by the Eagle. It is clear that, adding all these things, in the end the balance tips in favor of Ford, an excellent player, and his teammates. And it’s a shame because Varese has shown some timid progress on a defensive level: some correct rotations to help his teammates, more ability to keep one-on-ones with a Kao in the role of supreme intimidator: with 8 blocks you can give less weight to the his lower contribution to rebounding. The problem, true, is the lack of alternatives: Fall fails to make an effective contribution, Harris finishes with a dismal -18 plus/minus which says a lot about his impact on the match and, finally, Brown. The latter, to date, is the biggest problem by not providing an offensive impact – which disappeared after the first period – and defensively it has never been important this season. All topped off with the usual third period where Varese allowed themselves to come back and overtake: today better than yesterday, but still a clear 29-14 that reversed the outcome of the match. On Saturday evening against that wise old Repesa it will be necessary to iron out all these details, otherwise the final result will hardly see a victorious Varese.
THE LIVE
FIRST QUARTER
After two empty plays, Mannion breaks the deadlock with a step-back bomb: 0-3 in the 1st minute. Hands does everything alone, then Trento also scores from an offensive rebound: 2-5 in the 2nd minute. Varese seems to have started the match with the right defensive intensity: Trento already lost two, then Hands forced himself from the arc. 2-7 at 3′. Good circulation in the Bosina and Gray scores the triple, the defense holds and Hands serves Brown for the attack: 4-12 at 4′. Kao already reaches 3 blocks, Mawugbe with his irregular block causes his team to lose the ball and Hands scores again: 7-14 in the 5th minute. Ford enters and drags Trento, Mannion replies: 13-16 at 6′. Ford rises to 8 and scores the first equalizer, then Mannion serves Brown in the corner: triple and 16-19 in the 7th minute. Alviti misses the bomb, Forray doesn’t have his feet on the ground: 19 all with the 300th triple in Serie A by the Bianconeri captain in the 8th minute. Kao puts Varese back ahead with a 3-point play at 21-22, Ford on the line for 23-22 at -100″. Hands continues to do damage with his first step, then Pecchia enjoys too much freedom in the colored ball: 25-24 at -40″. Assui enters and serves the assist for Hands: foul and free throws to make it 25-27 in the 10th minute.
SECOND QUARTER
Lamb scores, Varese builds and keeps the lead with Gray’s triple: 27-30 in the 11th minute. Gray protagonist: another triple from the corner for him, then he suffers a defensive breakthrough from Lamb: 27-33 in the 12th minute. Hands enters, maintains contact and scores: 27-37. Cale scores from the arc, then Mannion falls to the parquet trying to go on the counterattack: it’s a Trentino foul, but the Red Mamba remains on the ground suffering and comes out limping. 30-37 at 13′. Mannion on the bench in tears, Ford gets his team back on track: 35-40 in the 14th minute. A few too many Trent protests due to the fouls sanctioned, Alviti feels like he’s rebounding, but Varese wastes a little too much in attack: Mannion returns in the 16th minute at 37-42. Pecchia with the triple for -2, Kao drives to the basket: 40-44 at 17′. Mannion enters in the third period and scores with a foul: however, he returns with a limp. 40-48 at 18′. Alviti with the ex’s bomb: 40-51. Alviti adds two more, then Forray attacks Mannion and scores a triple to make it 45-53 in the 19th minute. Hands with a sci-fi triple rises to 19: 47-55 at -41″. Hands amazing, but Fall leaves Ford alone on the perimeter: counter-triple and 50-58 at -3″.
THIRD QUARTER
Ready to go and 0-4 OJM with Mannion recovering and flying on the counterattack: 50-62 at 21′. Prompt response from the hosts who close the area with Niang and Gray’s third foul sends Niang himself to the line: 56-62 and 6-0 opened by a partial score in the 22nd minute. Niang is the protagonist, but Kao holds his own with the alley hoop: 58-66 in the 23rd minute. Two missed runs by Varese allow Trento to get closer: Lamb finds a highway on entry and Kao opposes with a foul. 63-66 at 24′. Hands scores another triple and Librizzi enters beating the defender: 65-71 in the 25th minute. Varese has a defensive idea in this match: help arriving in due time and well-managed individual duels. 68-71 at 26′. No more scoring: series of errors on both sides with Varese persevering from beyond the arc. 68-71 at 27′. Lamb scores -1 on the line, then leans against the scoreboard and scores the overtaking with Varese missing from more than 3′. 72-71 at 28′. 10-0 partial for Trento, then a naivety from an excellent Lamb sends Gray to the line: 75-72 in the 29th minute. Hands is no longer the same as the first 20′ and Ford attacks Harris from the dribble going inside: 79-72 at 30′.
FOURTH ROOM
Varese reacts at the start: Mannion comes in to make it 81-76 at 31’30”. Librizzi keeps OJM afloat, but the defense can’t hold Ford: 86-78 at 32’30”. Confused action in the OJM area: men on the ground and Ford with space from the arc for 89-78 in the 33rd minute. Brown absolutely out of the game: error in attack followed by error in defense. Trento flies to 92-78 with a bomb from Ellis in the 34th minute. Another 3 minutes for OJM, then Hands returns to score with a stop and shot to make it 92-80. Mawugbe with the dunk to make it 94-80 in the 35th minute. Hands tries to stop and shoot, fortunately Gray is there to rebound: 96-83 at 36′. Hands doesn’t fit: another winning attack with pace and shot and 96-85. Varese relies on Hands alone to create anything in attack: his discharge sends Gray to the line in the 37th minute. 98-88. Alviti on the line at -2’20” after earning Lamb’s fifth foul: 98-89. Hands passes behind the block and Ellis makes a triple, then Alviti scores immediately: 101-91 at -1’50”. Mannion supports the 101-93, foul by Alviti on Mawugbe: 101-93 in the 39th minute with 0/2 on free throws. Mannion exaggerates with the triple from almost 8 meters, Trento doesn’t score, but only 30″ remain. Alviti on the bezel: 101-95 at -24″. Trento loses the ball on the throw-in and Hands goes to the line with 3 free throws. 101-98 at -20″. Foul by Hands on Cale at -20″: 103-98. Mannion on the line at -15″ with 3 free throws: 103-100. Match that ends here: unsportsmanlike to Mannion for a foul before the throw-in with hold on Ford. Free throws for Ford: 106-100 and the match ends with this score.
Dolomiti Energia Trentino – Openjobmetis Varese 106-100 (25-27, 50-58, 79-72)
Trento: Ellis 8 (0/4, 2/4), Cale 20 (5/10, 2/3), Ford 24 (5/8, 3/6), Pecchia 5 (1/1, 1/2), Niang 6 (1/3, 0/3), Forray 8 (2/3 da 3), Mawugbe 13 (5/7), Lamb 21 (4/10, 2/8), Bayehe 1, Hassan ne. All. Galbiati.
Varese: Harris (0/3, 0/3), Alviti 12 (2/3, 1/4), Mannion 16 (5/7, 1/7), Gray 14 (0/1, 3/5), Librizzi 4 (2). 2/2, 0/1), Virginia and, Fall, Brown 7 (2/3, 1/7), Hands 34 (8/13, 4/9), Akobundu-Ehiogu 13 (5/5, 0/1). ), Assui. All. Almonds.
Referees: Lanzarini, Nicolini, Dionisi.
Matteo Gallo
Photo Ossola
