Autosped loses Game 1 in Schio
Autosped BCC Derthona, without Dotto, suffered a defeat in Game 1 of the semifinals. They were under pressure in the first half and, despite numerous attempts to come back, were unable to fully close the gap. However, Cutugno's team responded with energy and heart in the second half, thanks to a solid and courageous performance on both sides of the court. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, at 8:30 PM at the Nova Arena.
A difficult first quarter for BCC, who, after an evenly matched opening few minutes, succumbed to the acceleration of their opponents, who reached a double-digit lead thanks to fast-break baskets and offensive rebounds: at the 10th minute the score was 25-12. In the second quarter, Famila widened their gap to 19 points, then the match developed into a series of runs and counter runs that kept the gaps practically unchanged: at halftime the home team was ahead 48-31.
After returning from the locker room, BCC entered the court with increased intensity, matching the opponents' physical impact and finding solid offensive options. Coach Cutugno's team, however, was held back by surgical plays from Famila, who maintained the lead above double digits: at the 30th minute, the score was 66-53. Five consecutive points from Leonardi brought Autosped back into single digits at the start of the final period, but after Diakioulakos called a timeout, three-pointers from Keys and Conde sealed another break, fueled by baskets from Laksa that again pulled away from Cutugno's team. Schio ultimately prevailed, winning 85-69.
The comment of Cornelia Fondren: "We faced a very strong team, and we improved over the forty minutes after the first period. Now we're preparing for Game 2, knowing we need to build on the good work we did today, improving some aspects to be competitive.".
Coach's words Orazio Cutugno: "Our impact on the game wasn't up to par with a team like Schio, who stung us with easy baskets off offensive rebounds and on fast breaks. We held on for the entire second half and a few minutes in the first, knowing where we can improve: not giving second chances to Famila, who are unforgiving. I thank our fans who came all the way here tonight, making us feel their support. We know we can count on all their support again in Game 2.".
