Derthona plays a proud match, but surrenders to Virtus
Bertram Derthona-Virtus Segafredo Bologna 69-77
(13-18, 33-47, 51-62)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Mortellaro ne, Wright 10, Cannon 7, Tavernelli ne, Filloy 5, Mascolo 2, Cattapan ne, Severini 8, Sanders 13, Daum 11, Cain 2, Macura 11. Coach Ramondino
Virtus: Tessitori 2, Cordinier 4, Mannion, Belinelli 8, Pajola, Alibegovic 5, Jaiteh 17, Shengelia 14, Hackett 5, Sampson, Weems 7, Teodosic 15. Coach Scariolo
Bertram Derthona's season ends in Game 3 of the semi-final, amidst the applause of a packed PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris in every row of places, after a match that Virtus Segafredo Bologna, a very high-level opponent, led right from the start, fending off every attempt to return the team coached by Ramondino. The Lions' first year in Serie A ended with great results: the Super Cup Final Eight, the Italian Cup final, fourth place in the regular season and the Scudetto semi-final.
Virtus Bologna got off to a strong start to the match and, thanks to team play, reached +15 (3-18) in the middle of the half. In the following moments, Derthona grows on both halves of the pitch and produces a 10-0 run that sets the score at 13-18 after the first ten minutes. In the second half the team coached by Scariolo gives an important push to the match by finding continuity in the shot from outside. Bertram, in the final, tries to reduce the gap and ends up trailing 33-47 at halftime.
Upon returning from the locker rooms, Derthona made a great effort to get back into contact, which turned into the initial 7-2 which brought the gap back under double figures (40-49). In the following minutes the match developed between partials and against partials, which set the score at 51-62 in the 30th minute. In the final period, Bertram shortened several times, reaching -6 (59-65) in the 34th minute, but Virtus reacted and made important baskets that allowed them to win 69-77.
Thus coach Marco Ramondino at the end of the race: “Regarding the match, big congratulations to Virtus Bologna for leading the match from the start. I want to highlight their ability to punish mistakes and their ability to win every time with the subsequent adjustment on our choices. There is great admiration on my part for Virtus' victory in the match and in the series. The turnovers at the start made us waste a lot of nervous energy and made us start 10-0 down, but beyond the detail there was also frenzy in trying to recover. Honestly, I'm still a little disappointed because I think we could have played a game with better content that would have repaid this splendid sell-out even more, which is a source of pride, as nothing should be taken for granted. I congratulated the boys because they did some great things and the results achieved are the result of what they produced. More often than not they have made something seem normal that actually isn't. In addition to the satisfaction for the good season there must be the awareness that there is a margin for improvement that we can explore".
