Ragusa wins at the Segafredo Arena and overturns the home advantage against Bologna, giving itself the possibility of a home match point on Sunday 28 April to access the championship semi-finals. An enthralling match, well played and with constant changes in front in which both teams tried to push forward but in the end the most classic of finals emerged in the name of balance in which, however, coach Lardo’s green-and-whites (still without captain Spreafico) were colder in important moments. Ragusa starts well with Chidom and Jakubcova in great form, Bologna responds with Dojkic and Zandalasini. However, it was Milazzo, as soon as she entered, who gave Ragusa the first lead at the end of the first quarter which ended with the green and whites leading 15-19. Second half with the visitors’ extension: Juskaite from three for the first maximum advantage, then Miccoli at half time for the triple of +10, but at this point Ragusa disunites, loses a few too many balls in attack and the home team he scores a 17-0 run that completely overturns the score: at half-time Bologna leads by 10 with Dojkic’s triple at the buzzer for 41-31.
The third half begins and Lino Lardo shuffles the cards in defense, Bologna struggles more and Ragusa takes advantage. Juskaite literally takes charge in the third quarter and 6′ from the end of the third he scores a triple to make it 44-38, then the Lithuanian team itself on the counterattack to make it 44-40. Pastrello scores -1 (49-48) 1′ from the penultimate siren, then Thomas scores, scoring the first two points only at the end of the third quarter, but they are the equalizers. At the beginning of the fourth quarter of the game the scoreboard of the Segafredo Arena shows 51-51. Last quarter in which we go point to point, Jakubcova scores the tie from two: it’s 66-66 with 3′ and 29” then Juskaite goes from three but Zandalasini equalises, Jakubcova responds again and with 1′ from the end Bologna attacks with three down lengths, but Ragusa recovers the ball and Chidom goes to deposit the basket for +5: 69-74 with 43” from the end. It seems over but Dojkic scores a triple at 6” to make it -1, and the ball goes to Ragusa. Foul on Milazzo who goes to the line and makes one out of two: Ragusa wins 75-77.
“I can only once again congratulate these girls who, even without Spreafico, to whom we dedicate the victory, put in yet another performance made of heart and spirit of sacrifice. We arrived perhaps a little short of breath at the end of the second quarter after a quarter and a half of good intensity, but then going 10 down and recovering at their home means a lot. It means that there are values that go even beyond the technical qualities that this team has anyway. Now it’s right to be happy but the series continues and we have to think about playing another great match on Sunday. We hope that there will be the deserved crowd for this match and that our fans will respond as always and even better than ever. We gave ourselves the chance to get the home match point but we know it will still be very tough.”
Michele Farinaccio, press office Passalacqua Ragusa
