Clean Up Molfetta makes life difficult for itself, but overcomes Fasano – Pallacanestro Molfetta

Gesmundo’s team, ahead by 14 at half-time, were caught up to the wire. It ends 86-85

Dull recovery, but Clean Up Molfetta still wins the second victory in a row, after the blitz in Trani. President Solimini’s team beats Basket Fasano 86-85 at home in the seventh round of the inter-regional Serie C championship and reaches 8 points (four seasonal victories), before the break imposed by the calendar. The red and whites, however, ahead by 14 points at half time (52-38 the partial), with peaks of +18, were caught up by the guests who took home the last two quarters of the game (12-20 and 22-27 ). But it’s not enough. The ones celebrating at the end of the match were the red and whites who, despite having complicated their lives along the way, achieved the victory. Five players scored in double figures, Musa’s 26 points were not enough for the guests. «We don’t like easy matches – Gesmundo joked at the end of the match -, we necessarily have to complicate things a bit».

The news. At the PalaPoli, Gesmundo starts with his usual heavy and thoughtful quintet made up of Scarpone, Delmas, Mezzina, Chiriatti and Infante. Musa, from the first seconds, raises his voice under the boards (3-5), Infante makes an impact (7-7), Scarpone signs the first lead from 6.75 (10-9), extended by Mezzina’s bomb (13-9 ). Everything seems easy for a Clean Up capable of hitting from beyond the arc (Chiriatti, 21-14) up to reaching +12 (Sasso, 29-17). At 10′ it’s 29-20. Same trend in the second quarter with Delmas leading the way (18 points for the Frenchman, his triple making it 34-20), followed by Mezzina who scored 6 of his 17 points in the second 10′. Scarpone, with 5 straight points, signs the maximum advantage (+18, 47-29), Fasano scores a partial of 0-6 (47-35), at halftime it is 52-38. Infante (13 points for him) scores 54-38, Suraci (11 points) still maintains the double-digit advantage (57-44), but the guests regroup, placing another scary partial (0-7, 57- 51) to which Molfetta replies present: 62-53 by Sasso. At 30′ it’s 64-58. We start again: red and white ahead by 9 (67-58), but the technical to Infante who brings Imsandt to the line and Meyer’s tuft bring Fasano to -2, 67-65. There is suffering, with Infante and Didonna out due to fouls: Delmas, Mezzina and Scarpone take care of bringing Molfetta back to +7 (78-71), then Mezzina holds off the opponents’ comeback attempts, 82-75, but Fasano it’s there and with yet another partial (0-7, 82-81) they move to -1. The PalaPoli is standing, the Clean Up is in blackout. Delmas and Chiriatti (2/2 from the line) close the game, the guests try to return, but it is late. It ends 86-85.

The post-race. «We don’t like easy matches – Gesmundo joked at the end of the match -, we necessarily have to complicate things a bit, even if today we scored over 80 points, so the problem was a drop in defensive intensity, a few fouls committed in a bad moment and a few too many offensive rebounds allowed. However, we found some good solutions and, in the end, we were good at doing the right things at the right time to bring her home.” For the Clean Up coach, the decline also felt against Fasano «is a mental aspect and would have worried me a lot if we had lost today (Sunday). We have to work mentally because the moment we start to see that the opposing team is coming back, perhaps we are afraid of winning. We will also grow from this point of view, but with Fasano – he concluded – it was essential to win to get to the break with an extra smile.”

Scoreboard: SSD Clean Up Molfetta – ASD Blu Vigilance Fasano 86-85

S.S.D. Clean Up Molfetta