Game 1 playoff Derthona-Mantua: 76-67, the news
VOGHERA. Derthona wins a hard-fought game 1 with Mantova 76-67 in front of a sold-out PalaOltrepo. Martellossi chooses a quintet with Candussi, Corbett, Daniels, Vencato and Giachetti. Cavina lines up Garri, Cucci, Sanna, Cosey and Greene. In the first minutes little is scored, but the intensity is maximum. Garri with the left-handed support and Greene stopping and shooting scored the first two baskets of the match. Cosey hits the first three-pointer, Greene dunks and Derthona makes the first set (9-2). The Lions start off strong with the two Americans as protagonists and Martellossi at 13-4 calls a time out to stop the inertia. Mantua gets back into the game with a bomb from Giachetti (15-11), but Derthona continues to find excellent spacing. Cavina decides to throw Giampaolo Ricci into the match, who was in doubt until the end (he plays with his wrist bandaged). Garri's penetration following a foul by Candussi puts Derthona ahead by eight points (20-12). The first period ends 23-14 for the Lions with Greene having already scored 11 points.
The American is also the protagonist at the start of the second quarter with the locals maintaining a double-digit lead (26-16). Daniels scores from long range, immediately after Greene loses the ball and Cavina calls a time-out. Mantua finds a mini-partial (7-3), Martelossi gets a technical when a foul is not called on Casella from long range and Derthona gets a breath of fresh air with Alviti's bomb (33-23). Candussi and Giachetti bring Mantua closer, but the quarter ends 38-31 with a tap-in by Sanna.
Cavina puts Cosey back (three fouls and out for most of the second quarter), Amici scores seven consecutive points, Greene responds from long range (21 points). It's a delicate moment of the match: Mantua returns to -5, Derthona scores seven points and the Lions lead 49-40. Timperi defends strongly on Greene, then finds himself on the opposite side and Mantova finds himself one basket away (52-49). Alviti scores from long range just before the siren at the end of the quarter: it ends 56-53 for Derthona.
Giachetti works with his back to the basket on Cosey at the beginning of the final period, Casella's bomb gives the guests the first lead (58-56). The match was point to point, with two free throws from Mascherpa Tortona took the lead again by 3 points with 4' to go. Daniels misses and then grabs the rebound. At 1'30', with the score tied, Cosey lands a vital bomb. Gergati is stopped by Ricci, Giachetti fouls Sanna and Derthona returns to +4. Cosey scores the free throws and Mantova loses the ball. It ends 76-67, Derthona wins game 1.
Alberto Martelossi: “I congratulate Tortona who played a consistent game and were always ahead. We were naive when we changed the momentum of the match by taking the lead, then we didn't take advantage of that moment. The refereeing level is this: it is a shame to present referees who are not capable of managing a match like this. Cosey was protected. It is not possible for teams to arrive prepared for a playoff match and the grays present themselves in these conditions. The series is open. We gave the signal to be present."
Demis Cavina: Welcome to the playoffs. We have to become experts very quickly. We must not fall into provocations or think about the referee. There were six consecutive fouls called in attack, three of which were for Cosey, but it's not the right way to talk about referees. I got mad at my parents because we shouldn't complain. If there is an expert team it is Mantova, who manages to get fouls with certain contacts. But beyond the attacking contacts caused by the experience, there was linearity in the refereeing. I'm happy because we didn't suffer from physicality in the second half. I say thanks to Ricci, but we lost Cucci. It was a nervous match, where every contact was whistled. We will have to be good at immediately understanding the meter without complaining too much. The defense is very good and continues to be constant. We did something wrong on an individual level.
Derthona 76
Mantua 67
Derthona: Greene 23, Cosey 19, Alviti 10, Ricci 4, Sanna 4, Taverna ne, Conti, Mascherpa 2, Ricci ne, Garri 14, Apuzzo ne, Cucci. Coach Demis Cavina
Mantua: Daniels 12, Vencato 2, Giachetti 15, Timperi 5, Candussi 8, Casella 3, Lusvarghi, Amici 12, Corbett 4, Gergati 6, Bryan ne. Coach Alberto Martellossi
Referees: Moretti from Perugia, Scrima from Reggio Calabria, Ferretti from Pescara.
Note. First half: 38-31. Partials: 23-14, 15-17, 18-22, 20-14.
