Allianz Derthona Tortona set a record at the Next Gen Cup: first qualified in chronological order for the Final Eight in Trento. Scafati ko, 5 wins out of 5
Academy Scafati Basket – Allianz Derthona Tortona 64-80
(17-26, 35-49, 50-64)
Scafati : Sangiovanni, Giaquinto, Tono 3, Zampella 4, Carolei, Cavaliere 13, Mauro, Regine, Borrelli 1, Borriello 17, Cane 26. Coach Cirillo.
Derthona : Tandia 10, Baldi ne, Van Der Knaap 14 (3 rec, 4 ast), Farias 4 (7 rb, 5 ast, 19 val), Tambwe 4, Errica 21 (6/11 from three, 5 ast), Korlatovic 3 (2 stops), Diodati 5, W. Bellinaso 2, Moro 5, Conte 16, Josovic ne. All. Ansaloni, ass. Tosarelli, Censurini.
Referees : Perciavalle, Secchieri, Giovagnini.
Allianz Derthona Tortona continues to break record after record in the qualifying round of the 2023/24 IBSA Next Gen Cup . After becoming the only undefeated team in the entire field of 16 teams, winning yesterday's big match against the only other undefeated opponent, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano, in today's match at the PalaPajetta in Biella against Academy Scafati Basket, the team coached by Luca Ansaloni extended their wins to five from as many matches, earning them the honor of being the first team to qualify for the Final Eight in Trento on February 22-24 . Thus, after reaching the semifinals in last year's edition in Naples, for the second consecutive time the oldest team in the Derthona Basket youth sector has the satisfaction of going all the way to the title fight.
Despite the roster being patched up due to the injury-related absences of Baldi and Josovic, legacies of the battle with Milan, and the feverish state of Tambwe, against the bottom of Scafata in Group A, Allianz did not have the same problems in leading easily from the 'beginning to the end. Nicholas Errica's newfound ability to shoot from beyond the arc made it easier, his 3/3 from three to start the game gave way to the sudden escape above or around the double-digit margin with the support of the usual irrepressible athleticism of Timothy Van Der Knaap. When the sniper from Tortona scores his sixth triple out of eight attempts, it brings him to 20 points just before the arrival of the long interval and above all his +18, 30-48. In the third quarter Scafati tries to get closer and is partially successful, as evidenced by the -14 at the end of the third, then in the final period the other "bomber" Stefano Conte takes care of putting the three baskets of the bracket that repel a 7-0 Scafatese break for 73-57 less than 4' from the final siren that ends the game.
The winning streak allows the Bianconeri to take another step forward: between tomorrow's match against Carpegna Prosciutto Papalini Pesaro (tip-off at 16:30 p.m. at the Biella Forum) and the day after tomorrow against GeVi Napoli (kick-off at 11:30 a.m. at the PalaPajetta, both games live on legabasket.it), a win will be enough to top the group and secure a more comfortable quarterfinal matchup against the fourth-place team from the other group in Trentino in February.
