A basket from Morais freezes Bertram, Mens Sana conquers PalaOltrepò
Bertram Derthona-ON Sharing Mens Sana Siena 77-78
(29-18, 46-43, 69-58)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Knowles 22, Tuoyo 14, Alibegovic 19, Cremaschi ne, Ganeto 6, Blizzard 2, Buffo ne, Ugolini ne, Garri 6, Lusvarghi ne, Gergati 2, Spizzichini 6. All. Pansa
Siena: Poletti 23, Pacher 13, Morais 19, Lupusor 7, Marino 8, Radonjic 1, Ranuzzi 3, Del Debbio ne, Cepic, Prandin 4, Ceccarelli ne, Sanguinetti. All. Moretti
Notes: T2: De 19/28, Si 19/34; T3: De 4/28, Si 9/23; Tl: De 27/29, Si 13/18
Cold shower for Bertram Derthona in the first championship match: the Bianconeri, still without Klaudio Ndoja, surrendered to Mens Sana Siena - led by Morais' baskets - at the end of a match conducted for over 39'. Great quality start to the match for Bertram, who finds good offensive solutions and puts in place high defensive pressure: after four minutes there is already a double-digit lead for coach Pansa's team (14-4). Derthona continues to produce high quality game patterns and - taking advantage of their great shooting precision - expands their margin: after the first ten minutes the score is 29-18. Even in the second half the match continues with the same leitmotif: Bertram leads by looking for great offensive collaborations; Knowles' basket earned the new maximum lead (41-22) and forced coach Moretti to stop the game. In the moment of maximum difficulty, Mens Sana reacts by taking advantage of a moment of weakness in Derthona's attack, producing a 15-2 run that brings them closer in the score (43-37). The last minutes of the period are still in favor of the visiting team and at half-time Bertram leads 46-43. In the third quarter the Bianconeri start better, led by the initiatives of an inspired Knowles, before suffering the opponent's reaction: it is, however, again the search for collective offensive plays gave coach Pansa's team the double-digit advantage with which the third period ended (69-58). In the last half, the drop in Derthona's shooting percentages allows Mens Sana - led by a great Morais - to completely recover their gap: it is a basket by Morais with 9 seconds left to give coach Moretti's team success in the first day of the championship.
