Serie B Interregionale, Tortona outwitted at the last second by Hidalgo: Pavia wins in extremis
Scotti Rice Pall. Pavia – Gulliver Supermarkets Derthona 85-83
(21-25, 41-47, 69-71)
Pavia: Carpani 22, Brboric n/a, Bogunovic 29, Temporali, Hidalgo 25, Genovese n/a, Manna, Avanzini, Lomele 9, Moro.
Derthona: Fonio Fracchia, Fogliato 2, Lisini 3, Farias 17 (12 ast), Albertinazzi 9, Borasi ne, Korlatovic 17 (7/8 two-pointers, 8 reb), Brizzi 5, Di Meo 3, Bordoni ne, Josovic 27 (8/12 from the field, 9/12 free throws, 8 reb, 38 val), Cissè. Coach Ansaloni, assistant Fanaletti.
Referees: Sarzano and Martinetti.
Gulliver Supermercati Derthona gives in to the last possession against Pavia in the 21st and penultimate day of Division A of the North-West Conference of the Serie B Interregionale championship. With this defeat, the chances of mathematical salvation and qualification for the Play-in begin to vanish. The team trained by coach Ansaloni also had to deal with the significant absences of Gatti, Diodati, Aprile and the sudden defection of Bellinaso, stopped by a feverish attack.
After a difficult start for Gulliver, who suffers the excellent start of the Lombards, the team manages to unlock and get into the game. Tortona's solid reaction starts a mini-comeback, concluded with two baskets on the counterattack that allow the Bianconeri to close the first quarter with a 4-point advantage. In the second, the pace is high for both teams: after an initial recovery by Pavia, who regains control of the game, Ansaloni's boys respond with an important partial that takes them to a double-digit advantage. However, baskets by Bogunovic and Carpani reduce the gap. The teams go to the locker rooms with the score at 41-47 in favor of Gulliver Tortona.
In the third quarter, Gulliver continues to have control, returning to +10 led by baskets from Korlatovic and Josovic, but close to the final buzzer Pavia opens a 13-0 partial, taking the lead to 69-71 at the end of the 30th minute. The last quarter is fought with a heart-stopping finale at PalaRavizza, where the two teams remain in close contact for the entire duration of the quarter. With 30″ to go, the Lions take the lead to +2 thanks to a free throw from Josovic, but Pavia responds promptly with a basket from Hidalgo. The last action is in favor of the black and whites, who however are unable to shoot due to the ball being stolen by Hidalgo himself, who in open court scores the basket in the third period on the final buzzer that decrees the end of the game at 85-83 for the home team.
The last challenge of the first phase for Gulliver Supermercati will be on Friday 31 January at the PalaCamagna in Tortona against College Basketball Borgomanero.
