Virtus beats Angri, finishes second and finds Milazzo in the playoffs
Recupido’s team wins the sixth victory of the Play-In Gold: 80-73. She ends up tied on points with Capo d’Orlando, who surpasses her in head-to-head matches
Virtus closes the second phase of the Interregional Serie B championship with a victory and qualifies as second for the playoffs, where they draw the Svincolati Milazzo.
Recupido’s team wins one more match than Capo d’Orlando, which however finishes in first place by virtue of the advantage acquired in the direct clashes in the first phase. In a packed PalaPadua and without Epifani, out with an adductor problem, Ragusa plays a careful game and only beats a willing Angri in the final: 80-73. For Gaetano 19 points and 14 rebounds.
At the start of the match Angri proved to be a tough nut to crack, forcing Virtus into spacing problems in attack and a few too many turnovers. The match is characterized by balance and little is scored. The Campanians break away at 14-18 with Izzo’s triple, the reply is entrusted to Gaetano and Brown (18-18). But at the siren of the first quarter Bonanni’s flash guarantees the away advantage: +2.
Upon returning to the field Ragusa finds an excellent sequence from Ianelli (five points) and Piscetta, who contribute to the overtaking: 27-24. Virtus reaches a seven-point margin, and when they manage to run in the open field – thanks to better defensive application – they are difficult to contain. Brown’s best initiatives (12 points at half time) come from transition, Cioppa slots in from the corner even if Angri is good at almost never losing control. At 20′, however, Virtus leads 42-35.
After a good return from Angri (2-7), Vavoli generates a splendid defense on Taddeo and launches Brown into the open field for a comfortable lay-up (46-42). It is the action that changes the inertia of the match. Virtus begins to grind in attack, with different protagonists: first Gaetano, then Vavoli and finally two triples from Cioppa rewrite the new maximum lead at 59-46. Taddeo and Ruggero keep Angri afloat, who resists Virtussine’s attacks: 65-57 at 30′.
The Campanians try to stay in touch with a couple of triples from Jelic, but Sorrentino scores from the dribble for +10 Ragusa (73-63 in the 34th minute). Angri comes back within six and is sent back by Cioppa, impeccable from the arc. Izzo scores with the free throws, Jelic has the triple for -2 but this time he misses it. Tension rises and the attacks become overloaded. Ragusa enters the last minute on +5, Taddeo misses another very heavy triple and Cioppa “profits” two free throws, converting one. Time-out on the pitch with two full possessions between the teams. Virtus manages to manage the advantage from the line and wins the match 80-73 before a long break that will bring them back to the parquet on 8 or 9 May for game 1 of the playoff quarter-finals.
“We had a super season – is the final comment from coach Gianni Recupido – We risked finishing first, but second place is also an amazing result, seasoned with a great recovery in this second phase. Unfortunately we lost in Angri in the first leg match, otherwise it could have gone differently. I am very satisfied with the path and growth.” Now the playoffs: “The teams all know each other, I expect low scores and one-eyed “beats”. We will have to be good at maintaining calm, which we still lose at times. Milazzo? I said from the beginning that it was a good team, one of those that plays better basketball. He’s not an easy opponent, but the beauty of the playoffs is that you play against competitive teams, and whoever has the most wins. It will be a good series.”
Virtus Ragusa-Angri Basketball 80-73 Partials: 18-20; 42-35; 65-57.
Virtus Ragusa: Brown 14, Piscetta 2, Epifani, Cioppa 15, Simon 8, Cascone ne, Tumino ne, Vavoli 11, Sorrentino 6, Gaetano 19, Mirabella ne, Ianelli 5. All.: Recupido
Angri Basketball: Izzo 18, Globys, Granata, Ruggiero 16, Lazzari, Caloia, Carone, Iannicelli 2, Bonanni 12, Taddeo 17, Jelic 8. Coaches: Russo
Referees: Tartamella from Trapani and Puglisi from Acicatena
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Tags: Virtus Ragusa preparing face playoffs Milazzo
