... Derthona stops in Piacenza
Piacenza-Derthona 80-70
(15-16; 10-21; 21-14; 34-19)
Derthona Tortona: Rotondo 10 (5/9), Cernivani 9 (2/3, 0/2), Vitali 4 (1/2, 0/5), Gioria 13 (4/5, 0/2), Venuto 12 (1/4 , 3/7), Samoggia 16 (4/6, 1/4), Strotz, Viglianisi 6 (3/3, 0/4) NE: Stanojevic, Candela. Free throws: 18/21 – Rebounds: 28, 24+4 (Round 11) – Assists: 6 (Venuto 4) – Five Fouls: Viglianisi
Derthona's positive streak of nine victories in the 2014 edition ends in Piacenza, which began after the defeat by Mortara on January 4th. The winning streak was interrupted due to a clear physical decline of the Bianconeri, who after having been ahead by even 15 points, collapsed in the distance, thanks to the less than perfect physical condition of elements returning from injuries, such as Viglianisi and Rotondo.
The Tortona team got off to a good start, inspired by Venuto and Samoggia, who pushed Derthona to 12-6, before recovering from the home team, who, despite making a lot of mistakes, made up for it at the end of the quarter, closing 15-16 with an incredible 25 m basket. Gasparin at the end. Second quarter with Derthona trying to extend the lead, first reaching +5 (18-23) thanks to a three-point play by Cernivani, and then taking advantage of Piacenza's problems, static in defense and inconclusive in attack.
At the end of the half, the Bianconeri had an easy time, moving ahead by 12 points (25-37), demonstrating that they could close out the match. The game seems done upon returning from the locker rooms with Derthona finding the maximum advantage of the match at +15 (25-40), but from then on the descent begins with a general defensive relaxation and a series of errors in attack, especially Vitali. Piacenza doesn't give up and begins the counter-offensive with Zampolli and Gambolati who find important points and recover the deficit. The Bianconeri felt the pressure and were pulled back to -5 at the end of the third quarter (46-51).
Last quarter with evident physical decline of the Bianconeri starting from Gioria who had clear difficulty in holding on to Rombaldoni who scored three consecutive baskets, which definitively reversed the score and the inertia in favor of the home team. Rotondo, certainly not in one of his best performances, gives too much space to Gambolati and throws away an opportunity in the final, Viglianisi recovers a ball which still seems to give the guests hope but in defense he is not up to par and goes out due to fouls, Samoggia he misses the only baskets of yet another good performance, Cernivani is not incisive, while Strotz is relegated to the bench and Venuto himself, the best of the Tortona players of the evening, lacks clarity in finishing an action after stealing a ball that could have been decisive .
Derthona has old problems again, failing to capitalize on the advantage of the first two quarters and losing, suffering a partial score of 10-34 in the last 19 minutes of the game! However, it is there and in the meantime fortunately little changes in the standings: Piacenza strengthens third place, but Fortitudo which in the meantime has strengthened with the purchase of Sorrentino, former Viola Reggio Calabria and the young talented pivot Landi from Virtus Bologna, already European champion Under 20, collapses unexpectedly in Castelfiorentino.
