It's a great night in Casale: Derthona leads from the start and beats Virtus
Bertram Derthona-Virtus Segafredo Bologna 91-81
(27-15, 43-34, 60-54)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Zerini, Ross 8, Dowe 9, Candi 5, Tavernelli, Errica, Strautins 11, Baldasso 17, Kamagate 10, Obasohan 13, Weems 11, Radosevic 7. Coach De Raffaele.
Bologna: Cordinier 14, Belinelli 9, Pajola 2, Mascolo ne, Lomazs 3, Shengelia 6, Hackett 14, Mickey 5, Polonara 7, Zizic 9, Dunston 2, Abass 10. All. Banchi.
Bertram Derthona breaks the Virtus Bologna "curse" in the Serie A playoffs. The Bianconeri win home game 3 of the quarter-final, beating the Virtussini for the first time in their post-season history after the double 3-0 of the previous two years at Scudetto semi-final level. At the PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris finishes 91-81 for the Lions, on Saturday at 20pm Derthona will return to play at home for game 4 to try to further extend their lead in Emilian soil. The ticket office to attend the match is already active both on the Vivaticket website and at the Casale Monferrato arena.
Always ahead in scoring, deadly from beyond the arc (15/36 against the visitors' 23%) and stronger than the opponents' superiority in attacking rebounds for a good part of the match, the team coached by De Raffaele managed to enhance the sold-out of the Casale Monferrato plant.
Compared to the two opening matches, Virtus does not feature Lundberg due to the knee injury in game 2 but recovers Shengelia, making her debut in the playoffs, Severini again out for the home team. Bertram immediately makes it clear that she doesn't want to end the season here, the rolling start marks the 3/3 from three of Strautins and Weems (2), who celebrates in the best way the return to the starting lineup by favoring the 11-2 of Obasohan after 3'. The double technical to Ross and Cordinier ignites the tension, Derthona continues to be the protagonist of an exhilarating first quarter, concentrated in defense and precise from beyond the arc (6/9 from three in the first period). Again from 6.75, baskets from Baldasso and Weems arrive for the double-digit advantage, Candi takes it to a maximum of +14 (27-13) a few seconds from the end of the quarter, which arrives with the score of 27-15.
Virtus, who in the meantime gave Shengelia her debut, clung to offensive rebounds, a more sharp Hackett and the physical impact of Abass and Zizic to get closer in the second quarter, their effort led to 39-34 in the 18th minute, but a 4 -0 personal of a leonine Dowe sets the 43-34 with which we go to the locker rooms.
After the long break the guests return to the pitch better, Tortona suddenly loses itself in attack, remains dry for the first 3' of the second half and the virtuoso comeback is effectively completed at 43-42. From De Raffaele's time-out Bertram returns to racing and places a 12-2 counterbreak with Obasohan, Ross and Baldasso raising the decibels of the system for the new double-digit margin set by Kamagate at 55-44 of the 25'. There are partials and counterparties, in the new Bolognese there is Cordinier on the shields (55-52 at 27'), Radosevic scores an important triple but Tortona wastes three in a single action which could have made the end of the third period happier of 60-54 produced by Baldasso's basket.
Two triples in a row by Strautins and Candi (who reaches 1000 points in Serie A) bring Derthona back to +10, 68-58, Ross and Baldasso also return to participate in the heavy basket festival. Hackett and Belinelli respond with the same coin for Virtus and with 5' to go the gap is still 10 points, 76-66. Baldasso experiences one of his classic magical moments from sidereal distance, Strautins is not far behind and scores the score 85-72. There are still 3 minutes to go but it effectively becomes the basket of the bracket, with the hosts even reaching 90 to celebrate the success.
So coach Walter De Raffaele at the end of the race: “Deserved and very important victory against a very strong team that can count on an infinite rotation, with Euroleague players, because let's not forget that they were the protagonists in the European competition until the end. A success that ennobles my boys' championship, they outdid themselves in terms of availability given the difficulties we had with various injuries. As we said, we didn't want to be a meteor in the playoffs but we wanted to be able to make an impact. Let's give another home game to our wonderful fans, we are growing in this series, now let's try to recover the great energy spent, especially in some players who played out of role."
