The fourteenth day of Serie A basketball has just been completed, with three matches played between 18 and 20:45. They faced, in order: Naples-Fortitudo Bologna, Brescia-Brindisi e Trieste-Reggio Emilia. Let’s briefly summarize how these challenges went.
GEVI NAPLES-FORTITUDO KIGILI BOLOGNA 86-89 (19-20, 15-23, 19-20, 33-26)
Fortitudo Bologna won the match that opened the great basketball evening. There effect, dragged by Aradori and Durham (20 points and 24 points), conquers the PalaBarbuto of Naples beating the GeVi for 86-89 at the end of an exciting 40 ‘. Jordan Parks’ 40 points and 15 rebounds were not enough for the Neapolitans, along with Reginald Lynch’s 12. It is the Bolognese who start immediately strong, with a 0-5 break signed by Durham. Prompt reaction of the hosts for the 6-0 counter-break with which they put their heads forward (6-5). After 12-12 in the middle of the quarter, Fortitudo tries to accelerate up to +4 (14-18). Charalampopoulos makes no mistake from the line (16-20), with Lorenzo Uglietti’s triple at the edge of the siren fixing the score at 19-20 after the first 10 minutes of play. The second quarter opens with two consecutive bombs, one on each side: Pierpaolo Marini opens (22-20), replies Gabriele Procida (22-25). The number 9 from Bologna ex Cantù then finds the free of +6 Fortitudo (22-28), with Naples trying to get close up to -3 (28-31). However, coach Martino’s team manages to keep the opponents at a safe distance, with Totè (protagonist of this first part of the match – the blue will close with 16 points on the scoresheet) who places the +9 Fortitudo basket on the scoreboard with which he closes the second quarter (34-43). Upon returning from the locker rooms the guests continue to push on the accelerator, also finding a double-digit advantage for the first time with Aradori’s jump shot (34-46). The GeVi fails to contain the overwhelming attacking power of Fortitudo, which continues to grind points and touches the maximum advantage at +19 with the bomb of the former Reggio Emilia and Virtus Bologna (36-55). Napoli tries to compose itself, looking for simpler solutions in attack to try to get back on top in the score. A basket from Parks and one from Procida, both from the painted, set the score at 53-63 at the third siren. In the last quarter, Fortitudo seems to be able to keep Naples at a safe distance, keeping the eleven points margin (57-68). After a situation in which both teams make a lot of mistakes (probably due to the energies that begin to fail), the biancoblù regain clarity and play to return to +15 (64-79) when there are less than 5 ‘to the final siren. At that point Jordan Parks starts his own business, loading the team on his shoulders and guiding them to an angry comeback, with Fortitudo remaining afloat thanks to the four free shots scored by Pietro Aradori that are worth the 86-89 final with which Bologna manages to beat the GeVi conquering the PalaBarbuto and responding to the success of Varese over Venice last night.
TOP SCORER
Naples: Parks 40, Lynch 12, Rich 8
Fortitudo Bologna: Durham 24, Aradori 20, Totè 16
Basketball, Serie A: Pesaro surprises Milan in overtime, Sassari beats Trento
GERMANI BRESCIA-HAPPY CASA BRINDISI 88-67 (21-22, 22-14, 20-10, 25-21)
Internal shot by Germani Brescia, who dominated the 20:00 match by beating Happy Casa Brindisi at PalaLeonessa for 88-67 and thus detaching the pass for the Final Eight of the Italian Cup in Pesaro in February. The Lombards are led by Mitrou-Long (22 points) and Gabriel (21 points), together with Amedeo Della Valle’s 16. The match starts immediately in perfect balance: Brindisi scores, Brescia responds promptly. After 3 ‘from the tap-off the score is tied: 4-4. Riccardo Visconti takes the chair, giving a mini-break to the Apulians (6-10). Prompt reaction of the hosts thanks to Della Valle and Mitrou-Long finds the equalizer (17-17). Redivo, at the end of the fourth, puts the basket on the board which is worth +1 for Brindisi with which the first 10 ‘(21-22) ends. It takes a dunk by Christian Burns to move the board after 1 ‘from the start of the second fraction (23-21). Moore and Della Valle give Brescia +3 from the line (26-24), with Brindisi equalizing immediately thanks to Mattia Udom (26-26). Kenny dall’arco and Della Valle from two find a mini-set with which to go to +5 (31-26), while shortly after Udom finds the step-back of -3 (33-30). Two consecutive Mitrou-Long bombs sign the 43-36 with which the two teams go to the long interval. In the third quarter, Germani still plays the game, even touching the double-digit margin thanks to a triple from Kenny Gabriel (48-39). Brindisi reacts with Nick Perkins from the line (50-41), but the dunk of the number 1 allows the team of coach Magro to retouch the maximum advantage to +11 (52-41), increasing it up to +16 with the American guard always protagonist (59-43). Happy Casa feels the pinch and fails to react until Wes Clark’s triple (61-46). Della Valle sends the basket to target in suspension with which it goes to the last quarter at 63-46 in favor of the hosts. Brindisi starts from the break with an 8-0 break thanks to Clark and Adrian (63-54). Brescia does not break up and, after conceding this mini-partial to the opponents, reignites the fuse and returns to +14 with Gabriel’s bomb (68-54). Brindisi has run out of energy and struggles to contain the Lombards, who so fly towards success making the PalaLeonessa fans explode with joy.
TOP SCORER
Brescia: Mitrou-Long 22, Gabriel 21, Della Valle 16
Brindisi: Visconti 13, Nick Perkins 10, Nathan Adrian 8
ALLIANZ BASKETBALL TRIESTE-UNAHOTELS Reggio Emilia 83-85 dTs (17-18, 23-15, 15-15, 15-22, 13-15)
Reggio Emilia needs an overtime to prevail at the Allianz Dome over Trieste after 45 minutes of authentic battle (70-70 at the end of regular time). The Emilians win 83-85, with Banks missing the last shot available to the hosts. The two teams struggle to find rhythm in the early stages of this match, with several errors on both sides of the pitch. Andrea Cinciarini scores and inspires his teammates (2-6), with Trieste responding with a dunk from Grazulis and a free kick from Delia (6-6). Strautins finds the bomb of +1 (8-9), but it is still the Argentine who becomes the protagonist with the dunk of the counter-overtaking (10-9). Prompt reaction of the Reggio players with Strautnis (15-15), who closed the first quarter ahead by only one length thanks to Crawford’s basket (17-18). In the second set the Unahotels starts immediately with a 4-0 break (17-22), to which Campogrande responds with the bomb (20-22). Banks in suspension operates the overtaking of Trieste (23-22), but shortly after Hopkins shoots the triple of the new Emilian advantage (23-25) from the arch. Grazulis puts the match back in a draw (25-25), with Campogrande placing +4 on the counterattack in favor of Allianz (31-27). Olisevicius is 3/3 from the line, with Reggio Emilia only one point behind (31-30). Trieste understands the danger and increases the intensity, finding the break of 6-0 with which to go to 36-30 when there are 2’40 “to the second siren. Crawford scores from long distance for -3 (36-33), but Delia from the free and Davis in suspension fix the score at 40-33 after 20 ‘. Third quarter that opens with a deadly break in Reggio Emilia, thanks to two consecutive triples by Olisevicius and Hopkins (40-39), to which Adrian Banks responds with the same coin (43-39). The Lithuanian number 31 shortens again (43-41), with Trieste maintaining full possession of the margin (48-45). Mian lands the bomb of +8 (53-45), with Daniele Cavaliero’s free throws that allow the team of coach Ciani to close the third quarter ahead by eight points (55-48). It is again the Friulian captain who opens the scoring with the triple (59-48), followed by a crazy break from Reggio Emilia 12-0 which allows the Emilians to put their nose forward in partial half (59-60). Trieste has completely exhausted the previously accumulated advantage, with Davies closing the Reggiano break through penetration (61-60). It’s back to point-to-point fighting, with teams fighting for every ball. The Friulians seem to find a small advantage (68-63), but Reggio Emilia immediately mends and impacts at the edge of the siren: 70-70 and we go to extra time. In the overtime the Emilians put their heads forward with the bomb of Olisevicius (72-74), to which Mian replies (75-74). But it is still the guests who return above, with Cinciarini’s bomb sounding like a sentence (77-84). Coey’s free throws give Trieste -2 when they are missing. 35 ″ (82-84), while Johnson at 1/2 in the line (82-85). Banks has the overtaking ball in his hands, but he chooses the most difficult path and the shot goes out on the iron, with the Unahotels being able to rejoice in the external success.
TOP SCORER
Trieste: Banks 14, Davis 14, Delia 13
Reggio Emilia: Olisevicius 29, Hopkins 12, Cinciarini 10
Credit: Ciamillo
