Potenza continues to hit effectively and consistently in attack and also control the game in defence, before witnessing a real show from Gerardo Esposito. In just under five minutes the Potenza winger scored thirteen points in a row (two two-pointers, two three-pointers and three free throws), finalizing the team-building work and allowing the Academy to even reach +17 on two occasions (28 -45). As expected, however, the reaction of the hosts, which passed mainly through the hands of Pasquale Greco, did not take long to wait, even if the triples from Sansone and Esposito (prematurely eliminated by fouls) still kept the guests at a safe distance (53-66 to 27) and the local 8-0 was stopped with an important bomb from Diaz (63-69). Sansone with five points in a row and a jumper from Lorusso still wrote +12 (64-76) at the start of the fourth quarter, before Matteo Cagnacci returns to the scene. The winger scores the 2+1 of +11 (68-79) and then with two consecutive triples he definitively sends back to the sender any residual hope of Growatt of returning to the game, also thanks to the obscure but highly energetic work on rebounding and defense of Pace, Labovic and Assui.
The last points all come from the line, the coaches also grant the right glory to their respective youngsters and the Academy can celebrate a solid and convincing success which earns them the anticipated pass to the semi-final: the opponent will be one between Caiazzo and Cercola, with game 2 scheduled for tonight on the same parquet of Viale dei Platani.
Polisportiva Portici 2000 Academy Basket Potenza 81-92 (15-26; 34-48; 63-69)
Polisportiva Portici 2000: Cirillo, Marra 18, Cautiero 1, La Marca 1, Minieri 1, Campa 2, Greco 24, Abete 10, Chiacchio, Vecchione 4, Cullia 9, Sabellico 11. All. Massaro
Academy Basket Potenza: Marchetti 5, Vece 1, Pace 2, Lorusso 11, Labovic 2, Diaz 10, Assui 1, Guglielmi, Cagnacci 28, Serra, Sansone 12, Esposito 20. Coach Miriello
Referees: Serino from San Nicola La Strada and Gensini from Cercola
