A game of a thousand emotions, in front of an ever-present and enthralling audience. But the ending is bitter. A Unieuro 2.015 from applause must bow 61-64 at Acqua San Bernardo Cantù and say goodbye to the playoff quarterfinals. A challenge played head-on by coach Sandro Dell’Agnello’s team and decided at the end by two episodes: Allen’s triple watershed at 1’10 “from the end and Kalin Lucas’ wrong archery of the possible overtaking on 61- 63.
A match where the defenses were the masters, with the percentages of the shot from the painted lower than 40%: 38% for Forlì against 37% for the guests. The Unieuro did not repeat the monstrous evening from Thursday, scoring 4 bombs out of 23 (4 out of 19 the Brianza). Forlì and Cantù were also equivalent to rebounds, 37 to 36, while at the level of singles the guests sent four players in double figures against the three of the red and white (Davide Bruttini 16, captain Jacopo Giachetti 12 and Lucas 10, the latter with just 13% both from two and from distance).
The match
Still without Mattia Palumbo, Dell’Agnello leaves with Rush, Lucas, Natali, Benvenuti and Bolpin. In the first few minutes there is little score thanks to both defenses, but also the son of tension and numerous errors on both sides. Forlì that he does not find the way to the basket, without however letting Cantù escape (5-6 after 5’34 “), far from precise, losing many balls. It goes on point by point, up to 14 to 12 with a dunk by Nikolic, also good a few seconds later to defend strong on Lucas, forcing him to lose the ball At the beginning of the second quarter Nikolic’s triple replies Bolpin (19-20), then Cantù goes on +5 (21-26) with Dell’Agnello to call timeout on Bucarelli’s bomb. Back on the field, Forlì increases the shooting percentages and with a partial of 12-3 flies to 33-29. Before the long break there are two free throws from Allen (33-31).
The third quarter begins as the first had begun and that is with a lot of tension on the parquet and some errors on both sides. The Brianza sharpened their claws and, within seconds, they managed not only to overtake, but also to stretch (9-4) with Da Ros to bring Sodini’s team back (37-40). The Forlì people get back up in the score thanks to Giachetti and Natali, 40 equal to three and a half minutes from the conclusion of the penultimate portion of the game. Cantù at this point, however, goes wild with his veterans: Cusin raises the wall in defense, forcing Bruttini to infraction of steps, while Da Ros puts the +6 inside the retina. Dragged by Lucas, the Unieuro shortens with great audacity, taking it to -1 (49-50).
The start of the decisive last quarter is from Lombardy with four points in a row, before Bruttini’s dunk. Then both teams do not find the basket, forcing from the arc, before finding the new equal with the experience of Bruttini (54-54 at 4’54 ”), who capitalizes at best an unsportsmanlike of Vitali. He no longer scores on the pitch, but only from the line. Another unsportsmanlike and Vitali, this time, takes advantage of bringing the Brianza forward again. Giachetti, however, takes a moment to impact the result again. Three minutes from the end, the biancoblù are forced to do without Cusin, out for five fouls. With two free out of two Forlì comes back 60 to 58 in the 38th minute.
Five fouls also for Rush, out of contention just over a hundred seconds from time. Very heavy, 67 seconds from the end, the triple from the corner of Allen, who, left alone, has plenty of time to hit the target. 60-63. The last minute starts with a 1 on 2 from the line by Bruttini, then 40 seconds from the end of the turnover by Cantù and Dell’Agnello to organize the shot: Lucas takes the shot from the bow served by Giachetti, who fails without framing the board. Vitali takes the rebound and is fouled by Giachetti: he makes 1/2, but just enough to go to Race 4. It ends 61-64.
The match report
Unieuro Forlì – Acqua S.Bernardo Cantù 61-64
(12-14, 21-17; 16-19, 12-14)
Forlì: Rush 5, Giachetti 12, Natali 3, Palumbo ne, Bolpin 6, Bandini ne, Ndour, Lucas 10, Benvenuti 9, Bruttini 16, Pullazi. Herds Dell’Agnello
Cantù: Stefanelli 10, Vitali 5, Nikolic 7, Boev ne, Borsani ne, Da Ros 10, Bucarelli 10, Cusin 4, Bayehe 3, Allen 15, Severini, Tarallo ne. Herds Sodini
Referees: Caforio, Pazzaglia and Lucotti.
