Derthona accelerates in the second half and beats Sassari
Bertram Derthona-Banco di Sardegna Sassari 79-62
(22-25, 37-37, 59-50)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Zerini 5, Ross 8, Dowe 7, Candi ne, Tavernelli ne, Strautinš 9, Baldasso 14, Kamagate, Severini 11, Obasohan 2, Weems 11, Radošević 12. Coach De Raffaele
Sassari: Cappellett 9i, Pisano ne, Treier, Tyree 8, Kruslin, Raspino, Gentile, Diop 14, Gombauld, McKinnie 8, Jefferson 15, Charalampopoulos 8. Coach Markovic
Fourth consecutive victory in the championship for Bertram Derthona, which continues its rise in the rankings. Against Banco di Sardegna Sassari, after a balanced first half, the Lions improved considerably in defence, conceding only 25 points to their opponents, and found several protagonists in attack to definitively close the match.
First quarter of partials at the PalaEnergica: Bertram starts better and extends the margin up to two possessions (18-14), before Sassari - led by Cappelletti - overtakes: the fraction is then closed by Dowe's three-point basket which it's worth 22-25. In the second period Derthona increases the intensity in defense and, with baskets from outside, goes on to lead the match: Jefferson then stops the inertia in favor of the Bianconeri, who with some talented baskets, sets the tie at 37 with which the teams go to halftime.
Upon returning from the locker rooms, the team coached by De Raffaele, with defense and offensive plays, tries the new extension. After the reaction of Banco di Sardegna, the 7-0 scored by Ross-Zerini pushes the Bianconeri up to 59-50 at the third siren. At the start of the last quarter, Bertram puts her foot down further on the accelerator, expanding her margin possession after possession: to crown this partial, Radošević's triple which makes it 68-54 in the 34th minute and forces coach Markovic to stop the match. In the final stages, Derthona further widened the gap and prevailed 79-62.
So coach Walter De Raffaele at the end of the race: “Tonight's victory is very important, we dedicate it as a team to our patron, Doctor Gavio. I have to congratulate Sassari who played a very tough game for at least two quarters. I believe that today's success comes from the defense, as offensively we were modest: in the second half however we gained confidence, baskets on the counterattack from the defense. This victory takes us significantly away from the hot zone; having the ability to win the two points even when you are not good in attack is very important. The team trains hard, the quality of the training is very high and this becomes training. There are also merits to the athletic staff who are doing an excellent job; being able to use ten, eleven players allows us to always have intensity".
