Game 1 Brescia 108 Tortona 76
CENTRALE DEL LATTE BRESCIA: Passera 8 (3/3 from 2p), Fernandez 11 /2/6, 1/1), Cittadini 7 (3/8, 0/2), Bruttini 4 (2/5), Alibegovic 16 ( 2/2, 4/8), Speronello, Moss 17 (6/7, 1/2), Totè 7 (1/1, 3/4), Bushati 16 (1/1, 3/4), Hollis 22 ( 8/13, 1/2). All. Andrea Diana
DERTHONA BEARS: Spissu 9 (1/3, 2/9), Gay, Offenses 6 (3/3, 0/7), Bianchi 2 (1/2), Marks 29 (7/9, 4/7), Simoncelli 3 (0/1, 1/3), Garri 10 (1/3, 2/2), Maghet, Antonietti, Iannilli 4 (0/1), Brooks 9 (4/8, 0/3). Coach Demis Cavina
NOTE. First half: 51-43. Partials 29-20, 22-23, 32-11, 25-22. 3-pointers: Brescia 10/21 (48%), Derthona 9/31 (29%). Rebounds: Brescia 38 (Hollis 8), Derthona 25. Free throws: Brescia 18/19 (95%), Derthona 11/13 (85%) Assists: 19 Brescia (Passera 6), Derthona 18. Fouls made: Brescia 16, Derthona 23.
Too much Brescia for Tortona. Centrale del Latte has more centimeters, quality, experience and a PalaFilippo that is bedlam. Tortona's heart isn't enough, it ends 108-76. Moss and his teammates always have game 1 in hand and with a devastating third quarter (32-11) they knock out the Lions. Tortona holds the first half, then goes into difficulty.
The Leonessa makes the difference in rebounding and in points gained from Tortona turnovers. Tortona starts well, but then suffers in game 1 against the talent and physicality of Brescia. Palafilippo isn't initially scary and after two minutes Tortona is up 7-2. Brescia comes back immediately with two bombs from Alibegovic to which Garri responds. La Leonessa has talent to spare, but halfway through the quarter the score is tied. The PalaFilippo is tinged with white and blue and pushes from about half an hour before the start with choirs and drums. The host Juventus segment contains around two hundred supporters (a bus and several cars leaving from Tortona) which are fewer, but they don't stop singing. Alongside the Fernadez-Cittadini play-pivot axis there are Moss, Alibegovic and Hollis (22 points, the best). Cavina relies on his quintet with Garri, Brooks, Reati, Marks and Spissu. The first partial for Centrale del Latte is done first by Cittadini and then by Moss.
In a hellish climate, Derthona begins to pay the price and is no longer able to build anything, accumulating five turnovers. The first quarter ends 29-20 for Brescia. 7'20'' from the long siren Brescia is up by 8 points, but the Lions are alive. Hollis scores five in a row, Tortona takes the hit and stays in the game with a bomb from Marks and Spissu. The first half ends 8 points down (51-43) with Brescia building the advantage on rebounds (21-13) and second shots.
We return to the pitch and Brescia is relentless. Tortona goes to the zone and Fernandez scores five in a row. The Lions fail to get close with an important partial and Brescia manages and keeps at a distance. At mid-period the Leonessa had already scored a 13-6 break. Moss is a sentence: 7 consecutive points with his placed and the Lions find themselves 17 down in an amen. For Tortona shooting becomes a feat and the nightmare quarter materializes. Bushati scores two three-pointers from the corner: it's +25 with Moss shooting 77% from the field. The last period is only minutes away from game 2 but in game 2 we will start again from 0-0.
