Bakery Piacenza 85 VS Derthona Basket 81
(36-15, 12-25, 13-24, 24-17)
Bakery Piacenza: Galli 5 (1/5, 0/3), Rombaldoni 10 (3/6, 0/1), Stefanini 6 (3/4), Sorokas 25 (7/13, 0/2), Gasparin 12 (2/ 3, 1/4), Rossetti 9 (3/4 from three), Mazzocchi, Infante 18 (7/9) NE: Ziotti, Di Giorgio
Free throws: 27/36 – Rebounds: 44 33+11 (Sorokas 19) – Assists: 12 (Rombaldoni 7)
Tortona Bears: Rotondo 11 (4/11, 0/1), Gioria, Venuto 0 (0/4 from three), Simoncelli 12 (3/6, 2/6), Losi 18 (2/6, 1/2), Crockett 10 (5/9, 0/1), Valenti 5 (1/3), Tavernari 8 (1/2, 2/5), Galloway 17 (5/11, 2/5) NE: Strotz
Free throws: 18/25 – Rebounds: 32 19+13 (Crockett 8) – Assists: 11 (Losi 5) – Five fouls: Rotondo, Venuto
28 March 2015, 21.00 pm
It was predictable that it wasn't a match like any other. Piacenza's desire for revenge on Derthona was evident after the defeat of the Emilians in the regular season finals of last season and especially after the 20-0 defeat immediately after winning at Palaoltrepò in the first leg. If we then add the end of the negative adventure of the two super foreigners Zizic and Becirovic as well as the desperate thirst for points from Rombaldoni & co., the game is done. And so on Saturday evening in Piacenza it was an uphill match for the Bianconeri who from the start were literally attacked by the home team's impetus.
After 5 minutes of the match the score was 23-4 for the home team and Derthona seemed far from finding the right reaction. Piacenza experiences a day of grace with Sorokas in evidence (double double final with 25 points and 19 rebounds) and the pivot Infante dominating under the scoreboards, getting the better of rival Rotondo. The distances get longer and the locals take the lead in the 8th minute at 31-8 with the large Tortona crowd in disbelief in the stands. A timid reaction from the guests seems to arrive at the end with some fouls and the consequent free throws earned by Valenti and Losi but the gap remains high and the quarter ends with a 21 point deficit (36-15).
In the second half, Piacenza's dominance continues and after 4 minutes they reach their maximum lead of 43-19, but from then on there is finally a reaction from Derthona who, relying on the Simoncelli-Rotondo axis, seems to reverse the inertia of the match. The Bianconeri's press puts Piacenza in difficulty, who seems to be feeling tired, given the limited rotations, and Cavina's boys who slowly overcome the considerable disadvantage they have accumulated. At halftime the Bakery lead 48-40 and the game seems to be reopening.
After the break, Derthona restarted very strongly and, after just a couple of minutes, grabbed the equalizer with Galloway. We proceed with back and forth on both sides, with Piacenza shooting many free throws given the many fouls committed by the guests and our team relying on the good streak of Losi (18 points and 5 assists at the end) who gives the lions a lead of 3 points at the end of the third quarter at 61-64.
The last fraction begins with a series of errors on both fronts, perhaps also due to tiredness. Then Rombaldoni sorted out the local team's game and, together with Gasparin, brought Piacenza narrowly ahead, while the Bianconeri lost the momentum of the previous quarter and returned to the limbo at the start of the match.
5 minutes from the end, Infante took control of the match again, closing his scoreboard in the best possible way with 18 points and 7 rebounds. The game is over and the bombs at the end, first from Tavernari and then from Galloway, arrive too late to wait for the miracle. It ends 85-81 for Piacenza who still hopes for salvation, while Derthona loses two golden points for their playoff dream.
