Udine goes 2-0 in the series. Beat Bertram Derthona 80-76
GSA Udine – Bertram Derthona 80-76
(22-24, 38-36, 52-52)
GSA UDINE: Nobile 7, Pinton 3, Bushati 9, Dykes 26, Raspino 9, Caupain 2, Diop 5, Chiti ne, Mortellaro 4, Ferrari 2, Pellegrino 6, Benevelli 7 All. Lardo.
BERTRAM DERTHONA: Sorokas 6, Gergati 8, Radonjic 3, Spanghero 10, Garri 14, Cremaschi ne, Pilati ne, Quaglia, Alibegovic 11, Johnson 24, Apuzzo. All. Pansa.
It escapes for a breath the break-even point al Bertram Derthona, which fights tooth and nail against the battleship Udine, remains in balance for forty minutes, and gives in only a handful of seconds from the end. Spanghero's potential equalizer shot chipped the iron 6" from the end, condemning Bertram far beyond its own demerits.
Once again, it is the details that make the difference at PalaCarnera, for a series that the Lions have shown they can extend.
It will be the Pala Oltrepo' to push i Leoni towards the potential undertaking, to reopen a series that appears much more balanced than the current score suggests.
After a first half played point by point, the Lions achieved a 2-15 lead in the third quarter, the result of great defensive aggression and defensive concentration.
Udine reacts and shortens the lead to 52-52 in the 30th minute, but the Bertram Derthona he resisted until the last moments of the game, without being discouraged by the volley of triples - two by Nobile and one from ten meters by Bushati - which between 35' and 38' had brought Udine up 7.
The Lions go back down, losing due to fouls first Johnson and then Alibegovic, and in the final they have the ball in their hands for the potential equalizer with 6" to go, but the possession of Spanghero it is not exploited. Udine thus takes a 2-0 lead by winning 80-76 in a series that is far from over.
For the Friulians it is time to face the Lions in their own den.
The big match will be staged on Saturday 5 May, at 20.30 pm, at the PalaOltrepo' in Voghera
Lorenzo Pansa"I'm disappointed because we played a quality match against a team that is superior to us in many ways. The striking data is the 20 offensive rebounds conceded: when you play with big men like that and wingers of that size, rebounding is a problem, but we have to be stronger mentally and provide extra coverage with the wingers because the physical difference is abysmal. The second thing to improve is clarity in decisive moments. Then today the difference is that Nobile makes 2/2 and we didn't score those shots. Percentages come and go, but clarity and rebounding effort need to be improved because they are the only things we lack to make this series long. Today we missed an opportunity because the performance was of a very good level against a decidedly strong team. Now it's clear that it takes an extra mental effort that has to become physical because even just by controlling those rebounds we could extend it. Congratulations to Udine for having had the ability to find a different protagonist and for having been able to impose their physicality."
