Bertram is tough, but surrenders to Murcia
UCAM Murcia-Bertram Derthona 87-75
(17-12, 40-30, 66-57)
Scoreboards:
Murcia: Kurucs R. 5, Sant-Roos 11, Caupain 13, Radovic 10, Falk, Sleva 10, Flores Moreno ne, Sakho 3, Diagne 7, Jelinek 9, Ennis 14, Kurucs A. 5. All. Alonso
Derthona: Zerini 4, Noua 3, Dowe 14, Candi 14, Errica ne, Straūtins 2, Baldasso 12, Severini 5, Obasohan 10, Weems 4, Thomas 7. Coach Ramondino
First defeat in their history in the BCL for Bertram Derthona, who in Murcia chased their opponents in the score right from the start, managing to get back into the match several times. UCAM places numerous important accelerations in the forty minutes, but the team coached by Ramondino, with great character, reduces to -7 in the last quarter. In the final, Murcia's ability to manage the great Juventus return was decisive for the fate of the match.
Balanced first period in Murcia: the Spanish team, in the final stages of the half, made a mini-attack also taking advantage of some errors from Bertram and closed ahead 17-12 in the 10th minute. In the second quarter UCAM accelerates several times in scoring, updating the maximum gap several times - over double figures - but Derthona, in the moment of greatest difficulty, reacts and closes the first half at 40-30 for the trained team from Sito Alonso.
Upon returning to the locker rooms, UCAM still maintained control of the pace of the match, taking advantage of the precision in the three-point shot to widen the gap, reaching +18 on several occasions. In the final stages of the set, especially thanks to Baldasso's triples, Bertram shortens and gets back to within double figures (66-57) with Obasohan's basket at the end. In the final period the match is made up of partials and against partials: the Lions, until the end, try as much as possible to reduce their gap, at least trying to defend the +4 from the first leg, and get as far as -7. Murcia, however, plays with clarity and wins 87-75, taking temporary first place with one matchday left in Group H.
Thus Retin Obasohan at the end of the race: “Tonight's match was complex for many reasons, despite the difficulties we always tried to react and stay in the match. This is why I am proud of the team and my teammates.".
Thus coach Marco Ramondino at the end of the race: “Congratulations to Murcia for the victory, he played better than us tonight and deserved the success. We suffered from UCAM's aggressive defense, which forced numerous turnovers that frustrated us offensively. There was certainly a great effort, but both in the BCL and in Serie A we make several mistakes and we have to work to be even more aligned.".
