A Bertram with a huge heart takes over the provincial Derby: Casale surrenders
Bertram Derthona-Novipiù Casale Monferrato
(18-10, 34-31, 48-49)
Scoreboards:
Derthona: Alibegovic 15, Cremaschi ne, Blizzard 10, Buffo ne, Ndoja 7, Ugolini ne, Lusvarghi 2, Viglianisi 2, Bertone 17, Gergati 3, Spizzichini 7, Lydeka 7. Coach Ramondino
Casale: Tinsley 7, Banchero, Musso 17, Valentini 6, Cesana 8, Denegri, Battistini ne, Martinoni 10, Pinkins 1, Giovara ne, Italiano 13, Lazzeri. All. Ferrari
Victory, dedicated to Luigino Fassino, of great character by Bertram Derthona who, forced to give up Garri, leads the Derby della Provincia for almost its entirety, resisting all of Casale's comeback attempts. For the first time in eight Serie A2 derbies between Derthona and Casale, the home team triumphs. Juventus start to the match: the plays of Spizzichini, Bertone and Alibegovic bring Bertram to 7-2 in the 3rd minute and force coach Ferrari to stop the game. After having reached the maximum advantage of +11 (13-2), Derthona suffered the partial return of Casale, led by Cesana and Musso: Lydeka's three-point play closed the first half at 18-10. In the second half the balance on the pitch remained between the two teams: the guests then shortened the gap with a triple from Musso, which made it 24-18 in the 14th minute; coach Ramondino interrupts the game. Coming out of the time-out, the Bianconeri tightened their defense and produced a new break, closed by Ndoja's dunk on the counterattack (34-22 at 17'): this time it was Casale who stopped the operations. After the minute of suspension, coach Ferrari's team returns to contact with three-point baskets from Musso and Cesana, which sets the score at 34-31 at the interval. In the third quarter Novipiù found the equalizer at 39 (at 24') with Italiano's basket, before the plays of Spizzichini and Blizzard gave Bertram the new advantage (44-42 at 27'). At the end of the third quarter Martinoni gave the advantage to the guests: in the 30th minute the score was 48-49. At the start of the final period, the Bianconeri increased the intensity of their defense and, thanks also to some steals, produced a 6-0 run which made it 54-49 in the 34th minute and forced coach Ferrari to stop the game. Casale comes back to just one possession away with baskets from Tinsley (56-53 in the 36th minute); then three free throws from Bertone put two full possessions back between the teams (62-56 with 1'36” to go). On the Junior's attack, Italiano is whistled for a rebound foul: a brawl breaks out involving Italiano himself and Ndoja, who are sent off. Bertram regains the double-digit lead (66-56) with Alibegovic's free throws and manages the advantage thanks to great precision with the clock stopped. Derby are still black and white, the final is 70-62.
