The bitterest of mockeries. Derthona KO
Aldo Giordani would have explained it in a few words...."you see how basketball is" but perhaps not even the words of the great master would have served to sweeten the bitterness at the sound of the siren. Because when the ball launched by the irrepressible Vitali (chapeau) caresses the retina you think that it is not right to lose a match won many and many times and which got out of hand right at the last breath but we are in Serie B and this is the concrete risk of missing of killer instinct.
It's a tough Derthona in the first half, always solid in his midfield and incisive in front where Quaroni lets everyone score (8 on the scoresheet already in the second quarter) channeling a game that thrives on balance but with Arioli's boys always a I move forward sailing on a 5-6 length lead.
It's a Derthona that becomes beautiful in a third quarter that makes the usual crowded Camagna stand up for the occasion: on the Ganguzza-Samoggia axis we play pieces of excellent basketball and it is precisely the duo from Sardinia that scores the partial of 23 -9 which feels like a decisive turning point because there are 2 minutes left on the clock of the third set and we are at +17 but Tassone and Ficetti have other ideas on the matter and with two triples they bring Torino back close to 10 behind.
Off to the last quarter and a first sign arrives soon when Tortona loses Ganguzza due to reaching the limit for fouls and with him the offensive fluidity that pushed us to the maximum advantage also greets us. The guest's pressure rises and our clarity drops, Vitali takes the lead and scores -6 before Gioria's heart in traffic writes 65-57 with 2'40" to play but it's the last gasp because from the field there is no scores more and in the war from the foul line we are always losers. Quaroni's 2/6 in the last minute and a half condemns us to a thrilling final with Vitali on the line at 68-66 and 8 seconds to play. The blond former Sangiorgese player scores the first and on the second error fate takes the ball away from Samoggia's hands and delivers it to Raucci's: one rotation, two rotations and the ball is still in Vitali's hands.
The ending is what we know, it's a defeat that stings and feels like an opportunity thrown away. In Milan it went well, here fate says it's not evening.
All we have to do is reset the frustration and look forward to the away match in Piacenza on Saturday 13th at 21pm where an angry and positive Derthona will be needed.
Come on lions.
Orsi Derthona Basket – Kopa Cus Torino 68-69 (18-15, 34-31, 58-46)
Ganguzza 16, Quaroni 9, Anselmi 4, Gioria 8, Daniel 3, Pavone 2, Samoggia 19, Degrada 7, Strotz, Gay ne. All: Arioli
