Heart and determination gave Derthona the victory. PalaBorsani conquered 70-79
KNIGHTS LEGNANO – BERTRAM DERTHONA 70-79
(18-21, 34-39, 54-61)
LEGNANO KNIGHTS: Tomasini 11 (1/3 from 2p, 1/3 from 3p), Zanelli, Roveda 1, Martini, Gazineo, Biraghi, Toscano 3 (1/1, 0/4), Berra ne, Tosi ne, Raivio 14 (5/13, 1/1), Mosley 11 (5/8), Pullazi 6 (1/2, 1/8). Coach Mattia Ferrari
BERTRAM DERTHONA: Meluzzi 2 (1/1), Stefanelli 13 (0/2, 4/6), Sorokas 11 (5/7, 0/2), Radonjic, Divac, Apuzzo, Quaglia 2 (1/2), Garri 14 (3/5, 2/3), Johnson 22 (6/14, 2/6), Spanghero 15 (2/4, 3/4). All. Pansa
REFEREES: Noce, Pecorella and Perocco.
NOTE. First half: 34-39. Partials: 18-21, 16-18, 16-16, 16-18. 2-point shots: Leg (19/43), Der (18/35). 3 point shots: Leg 6/24 (25%), Der 11/21 (52%). Free throws: Leg 14/18 (78%), Der 10/11 (98%). Rebounds: Leg 41 (Raicio 8), Der 33 (Sorokas 12). Assist: Leg: 10 Der: 16 (Sorokas 7).
LEGNANO. A lion-like Bertram Derthona returns to victory in the tough away match in Legnano. It ends 79-70 for the Bianconeri thanks to Spanghero, Sorokas, Johnson and an excellent Stefanelli (13 points), but above all thanks to an attitude and a rediscovered defense they conquer PalaBorsani. The Bianconeri managed to lead the match for almost all of the forty minutes against one of the most organized teams in the championship. For the hosts, Zanelli's latest attacks were not enough.
The start of the two-ball is by Will Mosley. The American coached by Ferrari scored six points in his personal scoreboard in the first two minutes of the game. Garri's triple and Sorokas and Spanghero's baskets seal the temporary tie. However, Zanelli scored the triple to make it 11-10, putting his head back in the lead albeit by just one point. In the following action Stefanelli, author of an excellent game, manages to recover the ball from the ball carrier who, following a pass from Spanghero, achieves the triple of the momentary overtaking (11-13). The red and whites are not discouraged, led by an excellent Mosley who shows quality and centimeters under the basket. However, the Lions showed a great display of character by scoring the last two baskets from long range. Spanghero and Stefanelli thus managed to close the first quarter with an advantage of 18-21. There was a stalemate in the first three minutes of the game. The back and forth between Raivio and Johnson gave the spectators a tied score (23-23) until Meluzzi and Sorokas with a dunk, in the fifth minute of the game, brought the Lions to 23-27. For the home team, Mosley is still leading the charge. The two points with the free shot bring the team led by coach Ferrari back to just one point. Legnano tries to take advantage of the moment by overturning into the opposing midfield. Thus came the draw for the hosts thanks to the free throws won by Pullazi after the first foul committed by Garri. Two minutes from the end the Lions took advantage of the defensive indecisions, extending the score. Two bombs in a row from Stefanelli and one from captain Garri bring coach Pansa's men to +8 (30-38). Tortona ends the first half leading Palaborsani 34-39. Tortona is showing a good team effort in both phases, taking advantage of errors at the right time. The Bianconeri try to take advantage of the inertia with Johnson who scores a triple at the end of 24 seconds. Tortona scores again from long range. A quick turnaround in front allows Spanghero to score from within seven metres. A shooting error by Raivio in the low post was thus punished. Black-out for Tortona. Pullazi and Toscano bring the hosts back to just two points (50-52). After the small break from the home team, Tortona tries to move forward. An excellent defense and an inspired Johnson, with his seven consecutive points, send the two teams to the final stage with a score of 54-61. Last seven laps of the clock and the two teams are traveling point to point. A triple from Zanelli allows the quintet designed by coach Pansa to breathe down their necks again (63-65). Zanelli and his companions ride on the wave of enthusiasm. A missed basket by Garri allows the restart of the red and white point guard who, thanks to a penetration, delivers the temporary equalizer to coach Ferrari. The last quarter is characterized by Zanelli. The point guard takes all the responsibility on his shoulders and manages to find the advantage again after almost 30 minutes of play. Johnson and Sorokas with a dunk try to bring the momentum of the match back in favor of the guests. Spanghero tries to close the game from the three-point line but Toscano's basket keeps the Legnano Knights afloat. There is no more time for the red and whites.
Lorenzo Pansa: “I want to congratulate my team because a week ago I deliberately stimulated them, even heavily, and today they demonstrated something of which I am absolutely convinced, that is, that this team has something within it that in this first phase of season showed only in part. I'm not talking about something stylistically beautiful or technical aspects, but about the toughness of the plays, the cynicism and all those qualities that cannot be read on the statistics that we showed today in the most delicate moments of the match. We deserved an evening like this, we had come from the most difficult week of the season and we worked with great intensity. The mental and technical toughness shown today is of a very good level, for a success that I feel we deserved. Technically speaking, it was a game with many tears from both teams. Mosley's exit helped us from the point of view of rebounding presence, but at the same time we also suffered from open spaces when Pullazi was deployed as number five. In that moment we were good at defending the pick and roll and holding defensively one on one and as a team on close outs. We went overboard in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, allowing them to make some runs in the open field, but I want to underline that we overcame this moment with three executions done as God commands, entering the last three minutes, with which we are managed to bring the game home.”
