AARHUS (Denmark) – Next Wednesday at Reggiana basketball it will take a better match to win the cup final. In Denmark, the red and white surrender 74-72 to the hosts, now a surprise of the tournament, after having also been down by 11 points. On a night where Hopkins was missing and the Larson-Crawford-Thompson trio made little contribution, losing by just 2 points is almost miraculous. After a promising start, the Bears began to skewer the Reggio basket with continuity, while Cinciarini and his teammates struggled to contain the opponent’s physicality. In the second half the script did not change that much, with Bakken in control of the match. 8 points separated the two teams at the last interval, Unahotels little by little, while wasting a lot, also found an unexpected advantage, nullified in the final seconds by a triple suffered and a breakthrough by Strautins. Nothing to compromise therefore and in a week the return will designate the first finalist.
THE TABLE
BAKKEN BEARS – UNAHOTELS REGGIO EMILIA 74-72
BAKE BEARS: Mollgaard, Harbo, Evans 7, Hansen, Jukic 6, Diouf 19, Ongwae 6, Salhertz, Harris 12, Taylor 6, Ogungbemi-Jackson 15, Laerke 3. Allenatore: Sommer.
UNAHOTELS REGGIO EMILIA; Thompson 4, Hopkins 10, Baldi Rossi 5, Carta, Strautins 17, Crawford 2, Colombo, Cinciarini 10, Johnson 19, Larson 5. Coach: Caja.
Referees: Bissuel (FRA), Velikov (BUL), Jevtovic (SER)
Partial: 18-17; 30-24; 16-15; 10-16
Note: unsportsmanlike foul to Hopkins at 18 ‘.
fourth bedroom
Having lost the man on the +8 shot at the end of the third quarter, Crawford manages to make a foul before the clock starts for the last fraction. Cinciarini, always in the field, is not supported by the small department, it ends at -10 and Caja stops time. Unahotels seems to be on her knees as she is undergoing the verve of the Bears and cannot find the basket. Yet even the Danes are wasting a lot and this could be the time to catch up, but this is not the case with the red and white tonight. With 3 minutes from the conclusion Bakken is ahead 71-66 with Reggio in the bonus and after a lap and a half of hands the gap has narrowed to -1, at 71-70, with the hosts calling suspension. Hopkins puts the overtaking basket on the scoresheet, followed by a triple from Harris for the new home advantage. Strautins could equalize with a penetration in the center of the area, but commits a breakthrough, 5 seconds from the end and then Bakken takes home the first round 74-72.
Third fourth
In the quintet of Reggio the absence of Hopkins stands out with Baldi Rossi in his place, but the trend at the beginning of the second half seems to retrace that of the previous 20 minutes. Justin Johnson tries to drag him into the offensive phase and gets to -2 at 53-51 after 4 minutes of play. Hopkins returns, but he still can’t find his space to be decisive and the 2/10 shooting is quite eloquent. The area that Unahotels offers is often beaten by the fast penetrations of the Danes who remain in the lead, as the reds and whites waste some shots, even well taken, which could be worth a draw or overtake. Crawford and Thompson meet again, while Hopkins just can’t get one right and is even posterized by Taylor. Last mini break at 64-56.
Second quarter
It is still the conclusion from 6, 75 that makes the difference, 2/11 for Reggio, 4/9 for Bakken who tries to escape on +5, followed by a timeout from Caja. It’s time for Harris to put in 7 in a short time for the maximum home advantage at +11 on 33-22, in collaboration with Ongawe. The Reggio defense struggled to stem the aggression and energy of the Danes, much more reactive and precise by 3, over 46%, against the miserable 2/13 white and red. Unahotels finds 5 points from Johnson, while Crawford, who missed a solo dunk, returns to the bench to make way for Strautins who immediately shows off by winning 5 free throws, 4 on target and an offensive rebound, which are worth -5. Hopkins gets an unsportsmanlike sanction, then a defensive foul makes him sit off the parquet and after Cinciarini’s triple, 2 opponents arrive who report the gap in double figures, while that of Larson signs the 48-41 at the long rest.
First quarter
The starting five: for Bakken Evans, Jukic, Diouf, Ongwae and Ogungbemi-Jackson, while for Reggio Cinciarini, Larson, Strautins, Johnson and Hopkins. The Danes place Ongawe on the red and white playmaker in marking almost across the field and, as scheduled, take a few seconds to go to the shot. Unahotels relies too much on archery and accomplices a couple of defensive ingenuities that cost 5 points and a 0-7 break, in the middle of the quarter she is below in the score. Hopkins has yet to enter the match, while Strautins has already committed 2 fouls. The Latvian, however, is very active and effective in attack with 4 points in a row that keep Reggiana close to the opponents, but not in front, because the heavy shot struggles to get in: 18-17 at the siren. Too bad for the 7 offensive rebounds not adequately materialized.
