Bertram falls in the sprint, the series extends to Race 4
Dolomiti Energia Trentino-Bertram Derthona 79-76
(10-12, 28-39, 50-53)
Scoreboards:
Trento: Conti, Spagnolo 16, Zangheri ne, Forray 8, Flaccadori 19, Udom 7, Dell'Anna ne, Crawford 7, Ladurner 2, Grazulis 2, Atkins 12, Lockett 6. All. Molin
Derthona: Christon 14, Mortellaro ne, Candi 5, Tavernelli, Filloy, Severini 9, Harper 15, Daum 9, Cain, Radošević 10, Macura 14, Filoni ne. All. Ramondino
Bertram Derthona leaves the BLM Group Arena defeated, at the end of a match conducted for over thirty minutes. After having accumulated a double-digit margin, the team coached by Ramondino suffered a comeback from their opponents, who prevailed in the final sprint.
Low-scoring first period of the match at the BLM Group Arena: Bertram leads from the start and closes ahead 10-12. In the second half Dolomiti Energia started better, but Derthona then overtook with three consecutive triples from Harper and Severini: in the 14th minute the score was 18-22. The favorable moment for the team coached by Ramondino continues in the following moments, fueled by Daum, Christon and Candi: at half-time Leoni lead 28-39.
Upon returning from the changing rooms, Bertram suffered Trento's comeback: almost 7 minutes without scoring allowed their opponents to grab a draw several times. The third quarter is then closed by Severini's triple at the siren which sets the score at 50-53. The new break of 7-0 with which Dolomiti Energia opens the last quarter makes it 57-53 for the home team, the subsequent response from Derthona led by Harper and Radošević scores the 59-61 midway through the last quarter. This brings us to yet another final sprint this season between the two teams: with Spagnolo's basket, the home team takes the lead (68-67) in the last two and a half minutes. Triples from Atkins and Crawford widen the gap in favor of Trento, which extends to +5 (75-70) in the 39th minute. Macura scores the triple to make it -2, Christon's subsequent equalizer shot misses and Spagnolo's coolness on the line puts two possessions apart (77-73) with 6 seconds to play. Another triple from Macura keeps Bertram's hopes alive, Lockett gives Trento the victory from the line: it ends 79-76.
Thus coach Marco Ramondino at the end of the race: “Congratulations to Trento, who won the match playing with great character and determination, with quality in the final moments. Dolomiti Energia found important team plays, while on our part the progress of the match was more similar to that of Game 1, with many unforced errors both in the first quarter and at the beginning of the third quarter. I believe this is an important key to understanding for us. When you don't score for so many minutes and you struggle to find a rhythm, making trivial mistakes due to tiredness and indecision, after all everything becomes more difficult and cumbersome: this was the story of the second half.".
