BCC is solid and choral, beats Geas and goes 1-0 in the series
Autosped BCC Derthona-Geas Sesto San Giovanni 76-70
(24-19, 42-37, 60-57)
Scoreboards:
BCC Derthona: Dotto 7, Kunaiyi 16, Fontaine 6, Conte 9, Toffolo 9, Leonardi, Fondren 11, Arado, Suarez, Cocuzza ne, Melchori ne, Penna 18. Coach Cutugno
Geas: Moore 2, Conti 19, Kacerik 5, Scott 21, Trucco, Ostoni ne, Osazuwa 11, Cancelli ne, Roumy 3, Attura ne, Cornelie 9. All. Zanotti
Autosped BCC Derthona took their first point in the series, defeating Geas Sesto San Giovanni, who were without Melchiori, and were forced to do without Beatrice Attura, a former Lombardy player. Cutugno's team led the match for long stretches, making several runs that their opponents responded to, until the decisive one in the middle of the final quarter. Three players scored in double figures for Autosped: Elisa Penna (18 points), Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah (16 with 14 rebounds), and Cornelia Fondren (11). Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, March 29, at 6:00 PM at the PalaAllende in Cinisello Balsamo.
The game got off to a fierce start, as is usual in a playoff game: BCC took the lead after the first few minutes thanks to accurate outside shooting and early shots, closing the gap 24-19 at the 10th minute. The second period was a series of set pieces and counter-sets, in a game that was always balanced: BCC continued to maintain its lead and led 42-37 at halftime.
After returning from the locker rooms, Cutugno's team accelerated—thanks to the fluidity of the offense and Penna's baskets—to a 9-point lead (56-47), before Conti's initiatives closed the gap to just one possession: at the 30th minute, Autosped was ahead 60-57. In the final quarter, BCC broke the deadlock midway through the period, finding a lead that the Lombardy team was unable to regain: Game 1 ended with a score of 76-70.
The words of Cornelia Fondren: "We played a great team game against a strong opponent. We need to work on the things we can improve, but the important thing was to get the win. In Game 2, we'll have to take the field with the same mentality as today.".
Coach's comment Horace Cutugno: "It was a game in which the girls did well, both controlling the moments when they were ahead and when Geas tried to come back. In the second half, we limited Geas's overwhelming physical and athletic power and moved the ball fluidly in attack. Now we'll rest and prepare for Game 2.".
