Playoffs start with a bang: Derthona is the only one to win at home!
DERTHONA BEARS – EXPO INOX MORTARA 78-54
(20-13, 34-23, 54-35)
DERTHONA: ROTONDO 8, VITALI 5, Stanojevic 2, Gioria 17, VENUTO 17, GATTI 6, Samoggia 13, Strotz, Gay D., VIGLIANISI 10. All. Arioli, ass. De Ros and Lonardo.
MORTARA: DEL SORBO 9, Fant 2, Avanzini ne, CAVALLARO 16, GRUGNETTI 6, MOSSI 11, Manuelli 4, Bossi ne, Di Paola, TARDITO 6. Coach Zanellati, ass. Werlich and Marcone.
It's difficult to predict a better start to the playoffs for Derthona! The Bianconeri won game 1 of the quarter-finals, leaving a twenty-four point margin (78-54) against Mortara and closing the match practically already at the beginning of the last half, with the maximum advantage of Arioli's boys reaching up to 30 points.
Thanks to a collective attitude that seemed to have returned to the best periods of the regular season, making us forget the not exactly exciting performances of the recent clock phase. The "lighthouse" of the match was Marco Venuto who was particularly inspired both in organizing the game and in individual conclusions, especially from long range. It was the director from Tortona himself, together with captain Gioria, who was responsible for the home team's first attack in the second part of the first quarter, which ended 20-13 ahead, after an uncertain start with a few too many errors and the lack of contribution from Samoggia, initially kept on rest as a precaution, with Gatti called upon to honorably replace him.
But the club's extra weapon seems to be the defence, the traditional strong point of Gioria & co., which significantly limits the guests' guns, Mossi and Cavallaro in particular, granting few initiatives even to Del Sorbo. So much so that with Samoggia's fueling in attack and the general improvement in Tortona's percentages (in the end 50% total with 37 from 3), Mortara began to finally give in in the second half which closed at 34-23.
Upon returning from the locker rooms, Derthona does not lose concentration and starts scoring 3 points again with Venuto. The guests just have to try a pressing defense, but the belief doesn't seem to be the right one, and first Viglianisi and then Venuto again extend the margin to the "ventello" which in the 30th minute already feels like the game is over: 54-35. The last quarter soon becomes a catwalk thanks to the dominance under the boards of the various Rotondo, Gatti and Gioria as well as the ease of the conclusions of Vitali and once again Came from far away. Mortara gives up definitively and everything is postponed until the return to Lomellina for game 2 for a series which, if necessary, will see the contenders back on the PalaCamagna parquet next Saturday (21.15 pm) to play for the winner.
The litmus test, therefore, of Tortona's ambitions is expected for Wednesday evening (21pm) when among the rice fields Derthona will be able to repeat the success like two years ago in the semi-final of the DNC season (with Quaroni and Ganguzza in spirit) which ended with the prestigious promotion in the current series or, alas, like four years ago when the Pavia team overturned the inertia of a series that cost the season to the Bianconeri of the time (Zunino, Orsini, Di Gioia, etc.) signed by Benfante.
Meanwhile from the other fields an unthinkable twist: all home defeats for Bologna, Piacenza and Cecina who incredibly give way to Cento, Empoli and Pavia respectively.
At this point the favorites make their lives quite complicated and it cannot be ruled out that some are already in danger of elimination in the quarter-finals, while others could find unexpected energy and vitality again: after all, this is the law of the playoffs! Derthona is particularly awaiting the outcome of Pavia-Cecina scheduled for Thursday evening, from which their possible rival for the semi-finals will emerge, but first... let's remember that Mortara is there!!
