DP Lubrificinanti Libertas Lucca-Gea Basketball Grosseto 82-85
FREEDOM LUCCA: Canciello 12, Mattei, Lorenzi 22, Fracassini 5, Lombardi 9, Piercecchi, Morello 5, Guidi 7, Cecconi 20, Brunelli, Tonacci 2. Coaches Romani.
GEA GROSSETO: Scurti 10, Fanelli 6, Piccoli 19, Ignarra, Furi 16, Ricciarelli 4, Simonelli 1, Liberati 14, Alvarez Rodriguez, Mari 15. Coach Marco Santolamazza.
REFEREES: Valfré from Massa and Benenati from Cecina
PARTIALS: 22-28, 49-47; 63-69.
OUT FOR FOULS: Guidi and Cecconi.
There Gea Basketball Grosseto puts a foot in the final of the Regional Division 1 championship, going on to win the first match of the semi-final at Shovel Cut of Lucca (85-82 final), at the end of another extraordinary match. Marco Santolamazza’s boys faced the very difficult match with the right attitude and finished ahead by six points, thanks also to the bombs of Mari, Liberati (two each) and Furi. The DP Lubricants Lucca, dominator of the regular season, came back with a run of 27-19 and went into the break with a lead of two. The match remained on the edge of balance, but Gea found the break to take the lead again in the 30th minute. The two rivals challenged each other point for point until 2’30 from the end, with the Grosseto team moving forward and controlling it, even adjusting the shot from the foul line.
It’s difficult to make merit rankings on such good days, but Piccoli, the best scorer, deserves a mention, but important baskets came from Mari, Furi and Liberati.
«Congratulations go to the whole team – coach Marco Santolamazza smiles – those who entered did their part. The boys were good, they respected the game plan. We prepared it well and implemented everything very well.”
«We immediately took control of the match – continues coach Gea’s analysis – the Lucca team tried to come back and did so in a balanced second quarter. At the beginning of the second half we took control of the game, even reaching a 10 point lead, but the locals came back thanks to the two shooters Cecconi and Lorenzi, who scored more than half of the team’s points. At the end of the third we were back on top, before a heart-pounding finish. A bomb from Lorenzo Scurti put us back on top and then we managed possession until the end, also scoring baskets with Furi in the final seconds.”
After this blitz, the second of the playoffs after Venturina’s, Gea has placed a claim on progressing to the next round, having a home match available on Wednesday at 9pm in via Austria.
« We haven’t done anything yet – warns Santolamazza – If we play like this we have great chances. On Wednesday we have to try to tighten up to avoid game 3, which would be dangerous. We will try in every way to take advantage of the match point at home.”
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