Derthona defeated in a sprint in Scafati
Givova Scafati-Bertram Derthona 94-91
(31-20, 50-43, 68-69)
Scoreboards:
Scafati: Imade ne, Cavalieri ne, Sangiovanni ne, Gentile 7, Henry 13, Mouaha, Pinkins 13, Rossato 8, Robinson 20, Rivers 7, Nunge 23, Gamble 3. Coach Boniciolli
Derthona: Zerini, Ross 10, Dowe 6, Candi 5, Tavernelli ne, Strautinš 20, Baldasso 14, Kamagate 2, Severini 3, Obasohan 16, Weems 8, Radošević 7. All. De Raffaele
Bertram Derthona was defeated by Scafati at the end of a race that ended in a sprint. After a complex first half, the team coached by De Raffaele grows in intensity, closes the gap and goes on to lead the match. The last period, a concentration of emotions, sees Bertram lose only in the final moments.
Complex first quarter for Bertram at PalaMangano: Scafati plays fluidly right from the tap-off, finds effective solutions and progressively extends the gap beyond double figures. The Bianconeri close the gap at the end of the period thanks to Dowe's triple which makes it 31-20. In the second half, Baldasso kick-started the Lions' comeback with precision in his outside shot: the favorable moment for the guests was then also fueled by Weems. After coming back to two possessions behind, Derthona suffers the reaction of Givova who returns to +14 again (50-36). The first half ended with a 0-7 score between Baldasso-Obasohan-Candi which set the score at 50-43 at the break.
Upon returning from the changing rooms, the team coached by De Raffaele overtook and went on to lead the match for the first time thanks to the verve of Strautinš (14 points in the quarter, 12 consecutive). From the middle of the half, the match flows on a tightrope, with continuous changes of leadership, and is closed by Dowe's triple which makes it 68-69 in the 30th minute. The last period is a long final rush lasting ten minutes, full of emotion and pathos: Bertram starts the last two laps of the clock in the lead (82-85) thanks to baskets by Baldasso and Obasohan. Triples from Pinkins and Rossato put Scafati back ahead, in the final actions of the match the home team maintained the advantage with their coolness on the line. Bertram still has the shot to tie the match, but Ross' triple goes off the rim: Derthona comes out defeated 94-91.
Coach Walter De Raffaele said after the game: "I believe Scafati deserves a lot of credit for this victory, because they set the tone for aggression and competitive spirit, which allowed them to maintain momentum for long stretches. My team's biggest flaw was not understanding the kind of impact they needed to make, as Scafati requires a different level of presence and intensity. When we gave it our all in the third quarter and took the lead, I think two baskets conceded by us changed the momentum again. I congratulate Scafati, but we're still a bit disappointed for having played in fits and starts. We're often forced to play with atypical starting fives that pay off, especially in the short term. When we were ahead, we needed to be more astute in drawing fouls before reaching the bonus, but Scafati played the game I expected . "
