Bertram fights until the siren, but Virtus passes to PalaOltrepò
Bertram Derthona-Virtus Roma 72-76
(15-11, 45-38, 57-62)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Knowles 6, Tuoyo 13, Alibegovic 13, Cremaschi ne, Ganeto, Blizzard 9, Buffo ne, Ndoja 16, Lusvarghi 2, Viglianisi 5, Gergati 1, Spizzichin 7i. All. Ramondino
Rome: Alibegovic 2, Lucarelli, Chessa 7, Moore 11, Sandri 9, Baldasso 5, Saccaggi ne, Landi 18, Sims 15, Santiangeli 9. Coach Bucchi
Defeat for a combative Bertram Derthona (who recovers Knowles but loses Ganeto after a few minutes and fields Tuoyo who is not in perfect condition) who, against the leaders Virtus Roma who arrived at the PalaOltrepò fresh from six consecutive victories, fights on equal terms for the entire match and surrenders only in the final: what makes the difference in favor of coach Piero Bucchi's team is the partial of the third period (12-24) which directs the challenge and allows the guests to maintain a cushion of advantage until the final siren. Despite the home team's reaction in the last quarter, the Roman team achieved their seventh consecutive championship success. The start of the match was characterized by a series of partials and partials between the two teams, which overtook each other in terms of score: in the second part of the first period it was Alibegovic and Tuoyo who gave the advantage to Bertram, who finished ahead 15-11 after the first ten minutes . The favorable moment for the Bianconeri is fueled by Knowles' plays, which lead coach Ramondino's team to the maximum gap in the match (21-13 at 12'). The great defensive intensity put on the field by the hosts creates difficulties for Virtus, unable to find effective solutions against the alternating defenses of Derthona, who, for their part, continues to increase their score thanks to six consecutive points from Ndoja (31-18 at 15'). The reaction of coach Bucchi's team is entrusted to Landi and Santiangeli, who reduce the gap with a series of consecutive baskets, forcing Bertram to interrupt the game at 39-33 in the 18th minute. After the back and forth between Baldasso and Blizzard, Alibegovic's basket at the siren sends Bertram ahead 45-38 at the break. Upon returning from the locker rooms Roma started better, finding the advantage (48-46) with a basket by Sims: in the following minutes Virtus lost Moore - sent off for technical and unsportsmanlike behavior (inflicted on him in the first half) - and was overtaken by the Bianconeri ( 51-50) after Tuoyo's dunk. The defensive growth of coach Piero Bucchi's team, combined with the triples in sequence by Landi and Chessa, produces a break that forces coach Ramondino to stop the game and gives Virtus the maximum advantage in the match (53-62 in the 29th minute). Spizzichini's triple and a free throw from Viglianisi close the third quarter, which ends with the guests ahead 57-62. In the final period, Virtus relies on Sims who, with a couple of baskets from underneath, widens the margin between the two teams again (60-68): the favorable moment for coach Bucchi's team is fueled by a three-point game of Sandri and the offensive difficulties of the Bianconeri. In the final minutes, Bertram, raising the intensity of its defense, closed the gap to just one possession after Alibegovic's triple (71-74 with 11 seconds left).
