Anything goes at Alcott Arena in the holiday match. Guerri Napoli, despite doubts for health reasons regarding the presence of Naz Mitrou-Long and Savion Flagg, started off on the wrong foot but got the match back on its feet already in the first quarter against an exuberant Acqua San Bernardo Cantù.
A missed party, that of Fuorigrotta, given the continuation of the fans’ protest against the protocol. The absence of the Cantù organized groups prevented the celebration of the first match of the two groups as twins, however there was no lack of more than a few choruses of esteem from the home supporters, determined to make their brotherhood heard also from the TV audio.
A special day, though, because 7’01” from the long break Grant Basile goes to dunk and bends the rim, making it necessary to replace the entire structure and stop the game for around 57′.
When they return to the pitch they are the hosts, led by a Mitrou-Long in versione flu gameto take over the reins of the dispute, two partials to dig the furrow, then management.
Turin, today, is much closer.
NEWS
The start of the match is one that would make any coach in any category lose his temper.
Without even having attempted a shot, Napoli found themselves 0-9 thanks to the triple of Sneed and the baskets in succession by Moraschini and Bortolani.
AND Simms to uncork the way to the retina for the hosts, going to correct the airball of Savion Flagg, in doubt until the last moments before the ball.
It is still the former Brindisi wing that reigns supremeanother heavy basket and assist to allow Gilyard to replicate the big target hit by Mitrou-Long.
Guerri shakes off with the nailing of the controversial Guglielmo CarusoFaggian, 4 points in a row from El-Amin and Croswell’s free throws build the break of 8-2 with which Magro’s men hit at 19 points; the back and forth between Ajayi and Bolton sets the score at 21 all in the 10th minute.
The first home advantage came at the start of the second half with an acrobatic play by El-Amin from the center of the area, the Cantù reply arrives with Bortolani and Green, the former player takes advantage of Gentile’s mistake and starts on the counterattack.
Naples, however, is in the game, sips the solutions from the perimeter but he takes shots with his feet on the ground, Simms’ one is worth 26-25 and is only the third attempted by the Neapolitans.
Cantù regains the advantage with the great play of Andrea De Nicolao for Basile’s nail, however the strength of the winger in the national team forces the match to be stopped to replace the iron.
After almost an hour of waiting, we finally start again with the roar of the crowd at Alcott Arena which doubled with Croswell’s one-handed dunk that put Guerri back ahead, then with Naz Mitrou-Long’s 3-point play that burned De Nicolao and set the scoreboard at 31-29.
The hosts emerged better from the long and unexpected interval, Simms hits from the arc for +5; two defenses like Green’s great ex are not enough, Croswell takes advantage of Mitrou-Long’s assist and Coach Brienza decides to stop the game (36-29).
Closing the Campania partial at 8-0 is a play that the Azzurri fans have come to know well, the suspension and release of Erick Green, poetry in movement, bring Cantù back to a possession distance, Mitrou-Long responds by making a 7-0 partial on his own which Flagg extends to 9-0, another time out for the visiting bench (45-33).
Moraschini tries to shake up a Cantù who is out of the match, his first triple is canceled due to a heel on the sideline which leaves many doubts to say the least, the second is regular in all fields of the universe.
The Neapolitan reply is a vital leap from Caruso, come and go with Flagg concluded with a one-handed dunk; the assist man then becomes a scorer immediately afterwards, establishing the maximum lead (49-36).
There’s time for a back and forth, the last basket is by Green and it makes it 51-40 which goes into halftime… the real one.
It doesn’t take Simms long to extinguish Moraschini’s hope who had inaugurated the second half, pop up in the corner and net move for 54-42.
The former Olimpia, however, isn’t up for it and scores another 4 in a row for -8Napoli responds with Mitrou-Long’s giant slalom and Caruso’s hook, then Bolton scores the 60-48 on the counterattack.
Cantù struggled to find the basket and moved his score only with the clock stopped, the fact that Napoli also ran into an offensive jam prevented the Brienza boys’ delay from increasing too much.
It is the Neapolitans who are the first to break free from the field, Mitrou-Long lifts a ball on which Croswell takes off (62-51).
The maximum advantage is updated with consecutive points from El-Amin in traffic and Faggian from the center of the area, 70-54 and time out for Acqua San Bernardo.
Little changes in the last minute of the third period, in the 30th minute Croswell confirms the goodness of the new iron at Alcott Arena for the 72-57.
Guerri reaches +17 at the start of the last quarter with Bolton’s free throws, lThe former Spartak Subotica scores again for +18the Cantù leap takes the form of Bortolani rising frontally from the arc (76-61), Ajayi gives continuity by scoring with pure stubbornness against Croswell’s opposition, the additional free throw is worth -12.
Magro immediately sends Mitrou-Long back onto the pitch but the former Olympiacos player is unable to raise his number of assists due to the Philadelphia native’s blunders.
Cantù took over the inertia, Bortolani found another heavy basket for -9, Mitrou-Long still takes care of blocking the guest’s 9-0 run with the circus shot.
But the show of the Canadian with the Hellenic passport is not over, the step-back triple that sows Bortolani’s recovery attempt is worth the new +15, Treier gets infected and also scores the basket from the perimeter, again +18 (86-68) at the equator of the last 10′.
The guests don’t want to definitively exit the contest and find 5 points in a row with Basile and Ballo, then Bortolani finds the triple and the foul by Mitrou-Long, the error on the additional free throw leaves the scoreboard with 86-76 written, Bolton goes to move it with the lay-up, +12 with 2’06” from the final siren.
Odd 90 is a detail that the blue number 45 once again writes, Simms responds to Gilyard’s triple with the and one of 93-80, it is the final word on the match.
There is time to adjust the score and for two assists from Mitrou-Long which are worth the double double, ends 98-86 after almost 3 hours from the tap-off.
Naples dreams of returning to Turin.
MVP: Naz Mitrou-Long
The thermometer, in the morning, read 38.5º, he shows up with a sweatshirt but, when he leaves it on the bench, he transforms to play his very personal flu game. 20 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and 34 rating.
DA RIVEDERE: Xavier Sneed
It starts in fourth gear, then gets lost. The long forced break must be taken into account, however the second half was not received.
REPORT CARDS
Warriors Naples: Flagg 5.5, Mitrou-Long 8, El-Amin 6, Croswell 6.5, Faggian 6, Saccoccia ne, Gloria ne, Treier 6.5, Gentile 5, Simms 7, Caruso 6, Bolton 7.
Coach: Lean 7.
San Bernardo Cantù water: Gilyard 6,5, Moraschini 7, De Nicolao 5, Ballo 5, Bortolani 7, Sneed 5,5, Basile 5,, Green 6, Ajayi 5,5, Okeke sv.
All. Brienza 5.5.
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