Orsi Derthona – Mens Sana Siena 76-66, news and press room
Derthona Bears – Mens Sana Siena 76-66
(12-23, 34-38, 54-55)
Derthona: Greene IV 18, Cosey 14, Alviti 7, Ricci 8, Sanna 8, Taverna, Conti, Mascherpa 7, Garri 6, Apuzzone, Cucci 8. Coach Cavina
Siena: Masciarelli, Harrell 30, Mascolo 2, Neri ne, Vildera 12, Campori ne, Saccaggi 14, Flamini 2, Pichi, Myers ne, Tavernari 6. Coach Griccioli
Notes: T2: De 16/39; Yes 23/45; T3: De 10/29, Si 3/15; Tl: De 14/20, Si 11/14.
An extremely fiery PalaOltrePo' drags the Lions to their twelfth success (76-66 over Siena) out of the thirteen matches of the second round played so far and to mathematical second place at the end of the regular season, for the best result - still provisional - in the history of the Derthona.
With heart and determination, the Bianconeri snatched success from a Mens Sana team without Myers, but with Harrell on a graceful evening and a tough collective, who were able to approach the match in the best possible way and escape until 18-32 on the 14th '.
Here Derthona changes pace, raises the defense and shortens with two almost consecutive triples from Mascherpa and Cosey, then fixing the 34-38 of the interval thanks to Cosey's sprint who, coming out of the timeout called 4" from the 20th minute by the deputy coach Casalone, the half-time siren burns.
The connection is in the air and materializes with Greene's triple (50-50) in the 26th minute: the overtaking is a matter of a few seconds, because on the next play the Lions realize the technical foul on the visiting bench with a free throw from Cosey and Alviti's triple that explodes PalaOltrePo' (54-50). Siena counter-overtakes at the end of the third quarter, but Greene again scores Derthona, which continues into the heart of the fourth quarter. The definitive turning point was signed by Garri, who reacted with anger to a particularly unlucky game up to that point by converting the seventeenth rebound of the Lions' attack with a dunk that inflamed the crowd. The captain's magic moment continues with the breakthrough immediately by Tavernari and the assist for the lay-up by Ricci who, 150" from the end, launches the definitive escape for the Lions.
These are the words of Demis Cavina in the press room: “Tonight's first half made us grow. There was no doubt that a revamped Siena would, as in the first leg, approach the match with great intensity, demonstrating once again that the important thing is who and how they play, and not who is on the outside. It was crucial that we went to the locker room with just four points behind and in this regard I would like to thank Edoardo Casalone for calling the timeout with 4" left in the second quarter, giving us the chance to score at the siren with Cosey.
From that disadvantage we started again in the second half, finally imposing our greatest centimeters and kilos near the basket, and managing to restore the ball circulation that had been missing in the first half. Today's victory is a good one: forty points is a lot but from Tuesday our minds will be on the next match to continue our journey."
