2014 starts badly: defeat to forget in Mortara!
First outing of the new year to forget for Derthona who return from Mortara with a defeat and are sucked in by Fortitudo Bologna at the top of the table. Bad match for our team in Lomellina: the approach is not the right one right from the start with Vitali immediately in difficulty, even if in the middle of the quarter Derthona changes course and comes back to finish ahead 22-16, with a maximum advantage also by +10.
In the second half the hoped-for contribution did not come from the bench (Gatti did well, but Cernivani was especially missing) and the advantage was soon dissipated, but Venuto and Rotondo reacted by bringing Derthona back to +6 in the last minute, for 37-32 with which one goes to the changing rooms. In the third quarter, Mortara took the lead at half-time and then closed 57-51 thanks to the good spirit of Cavallaro and Mossi. In the last half, coach Arioli's team definitively disintegrates: Venuto and Rotondo lose clarity and only the determination of Samoggia, the only Juventus player to save himself in the evening, brings Derthona back within two minutes of the end, but an unconvinced defense combined with a few too many turnovers and insufficient shooting percentages (emblematic of Viglianisi's mistake on the counterattack alone), they decided the game in favor of Mortara 74-65.
Having concluded the winning streak and the first round, all that remains is to "return to earth" preparing the counter-offensive with Empoli which will be on stage at the PalaCamagna next Sunday (18pm). Against the Tuscans there is a triple objective for Samoggia and his associates: as well as starting to win again, making up for the defeat suffered in the first leg in the championship debut and above all maintaining the unbeaten record at home. The Tuscans, through ups and downs, follow the league leaders in the standings at a short distance and, although fresh from the defeat in Montecatini, remain very dangerous. Very respectable elements are the point guard Mariotti, the wingers Delli Carri and Terrosi, all with more than 10 points in their hands, and above all the pivot Ravazzani, who in addition to being a good scorer is the best rebounder in the championship. Once the panettone has been disposed of, we hope to see Derthona from last December again!
Expo Inox Mortara – ORSI Derthona 74-65 (16-22, 32-37, 57-51)
Mortara: Del Sorbo 9, Fant 1, Avanzini NE, Cavallaro 24, Grugnetti 1, Mossi 19, Manuelli 5, Bossi NE, Di Paola 4, Tardito 11. Coach Zanellati
Derthona: Rotondo 15, Cernivani, Vitali 4, Venuto 8, Gatti 8, Samoggia 20, Strotz 2, Gay NE, Viglianisi 8, Candela. All. Arioli
