The Lions' heart beats fast: it's 2-1
Atlante Eurobasket Roma-Bertram Derthona 78-80
(22-23, 42-37, 57-65)
Scoreboards:
Eurobasket: Olasewere 20, Čepić, Fanti 9, Viglianisi 8, Cicchetti 6, Buschetti ne, Magro 16, Staffieri 6, Antonaci ne, Romeo 2, Bucarelli 11. All. Pilot
Derthona: Sackey ne, Cannon 6, Gazzotti 6, Ambrosin 2, Tavernelli 8, D'Ercole 5, Fabi 17, Mascolo 19, Severini 7, Sanders 10, Morgillo. All. Ramondino
2-1 Derthona! Evidence of the Lions' maturity as they resisted the opponent's attempt to overrun in the first half, before attacking the defense and turning the game around with a run of 18-34 between the third and last quarter. In the final stages, the desire to win and the team defense in crucial moments allowed Derthona to achieve a very important success.
One point lead (22-23) for the Lions at the end of a balanced first quarter characterized by the offensive fluidity found by the two teams (Fabi was the protagonist for Bertram, author of 9 points). In the second half the Bianconeri had to overcome Eurobasket in the final minutes of the first half: at half-time Bertram was down 42-37.
Upon returning from the locker rooms, coach Ramondino's team, which today reached the milestone of 100 benches with the Lions, significantly raises the level of its defense, finding from this aspect great energy for the attack: led by Fabi and Mascolo, the Lions they ended the period leading 57-65. At the start of the last quarter, triples from D'Ercole and Tavernelli were worth the first double-digit gap (60-71) during the match, before the reaction of their opponents who reached -1 (73-74). In a very tight final, Sanders' baskets and two great team defenses allow the Lions to win 78-80. Saturday, at 12.30, the first chance to try to close the series.
