Gemini without Fazioli in search of the twelfth victory of the first round and Bergamo – 8 successes at his landing at Palavega – with the aim of immediately canceling the heavy stop suffered during the week in the recovery against Cremona, a goal achieved if not in the result at least for the intensity demonstrated on the parquet by the team of coach Cagnari. Ferraboschi starts with a fierce quintet, Pinton goes to the control room, alongside him Ianuale and Casagrande combined with the double center Bortolin and Stapanovic below, and it is precisely the young center of Serbian origin to put the first bomb in Mestre by a quarter where the shot da 3 is the trademark of both teams. WithU begins trying to open the home defense, Ihedioha shows up with a shot from the arch which is immediately answered by Stepanovic on the other side, Bergamo fails the second attack and Mestre scores again from 3 with Casagrande which Sodero replies on the other front. Bortolin from below and again Pinton from 3 mark the first Gemini break (11-6). The race is pleasant and very open, the WithU prevents supplies from arriving at Bortolin in defense while in attack he relies on the warm hand of his from the bow, Negri shoots from 3, Stepa well served from below makes 13-9 prelude to the new maximum advantage Gemini signed by Bortolin and Casagrande who on the counterattack makes 17-11 with 4’04 ” to play. WitU, however, has a hot hand in several of its players, Negri climbs into the chair and with two consecutive archery punishes Gemini for 17-17 with Bergamo extending up to 17-21 thanks to two recoveries. Ferraboschi has to call time and Bortolin brings Mestre back into contact but Sodero still scores the maximum advantage for the guest from 3 (19-24), last stage before the 25-28 at the end of the first quarter completed by 6 free throws for Gemini with Bergamo running out of bonuses and a basket each for Negri and Dell’Agnello.
The second quarter
In the second quarter the pace does not slow down but the percentages drop with the scoreboard that scores 32 even in the middle of the period thanks to a support from below by Stepanovic which follows a series of back and forth; there Petrucci climbs to the chair and puts in 3 consecutive bombs that seem to be able to pierce the match with Gemini ahead 41-35 at 3’34 ‘from the long break. Bergamo, on the other hand, immediately replies with a basket and foul by Cagliani and a bomb by Savoldelli that bring the guests back into contact, therefore Casagrande’s inspiration is needed in order to find the new +4 thanks to a foul and therefore Pinton still counts from the arc marks the 47-40 at the end of the quarter.
The long break
The break, however, is not good for Mestre who returns to the field and must assimilate an 8-0 guest: Bergamo in defense spends fouls but hits the target of limiting the Gemini, on the other side instead Dell’Agnello, Negro and Bedini lead to the overtaking (47-48) with Gemini who to find the first basket must rely on the pair Petrucci / Bortolin who provide assists and basket. The WithU seems tougher in this phase, Bortolin still scores but immediately Negri and Ihedioha impact with Negri who with a lot of scoreboard sends his forward by 3 (53-56) with Gemini struggling until the end of the quarter where Bergamo confirms the +3.
The closure
In the last period Dell’Agnello immediately commits his fourth foul, Petrucci plays the charge for Mestre with the overtaking bomb (64-62), but it remains point to point because Negri replies with a basket and a foul, Ianuale puts the new one + 1 Gemini, then Sodero on the overturning first makes a mistake from 3 and then commits his fourth foul again on Petrucci. Bergamo remains difficult, Savoldelli reports from the arc and Cagliani brings the WithU back to +3 (68-71), there is the experience of Mestre to rise to the chair with Petrucci who scores the tie from 3 opening to a break of 8-0 that marks the match: Casagrande from the bow and Bortolin in tape again lead the Gemini to 76-71 with 3’03 ” to play. A couple of possessions are wrong on each side before Sodero in entrance supports the -3 guest. Mestre relies on Bortolin who finds Dell’Agnello’s fifth foul and first scores the free +4, and then, on the following possession with Bergamo not scoring, closes the challenge with the 80-73 bomb. Still not enough because Sodero scores from 3, Bergamo also has another possession but there is no more time and Gemini brings home an exciting and beautiful challenge to live.
