The defeat in Brindisi 84-80, on the day of the mathematical relegation of the Apulians, definitively assigns, with a day early, fourth place in the playoff scoreboard to Umana Reyer. The orogranata will now close the regular season next Sunday, May 5th, hosting Pesaro at the Taliercio on the 30th matchday, which will again see all the matches played simultaneously at 6.15pm.
Simms (flu syndrome) and De Nicolao (high fever before departure) are unavailable, while the young Under 19 Francesco Barbero completes the roster and returns from the derby with Treviso Spissu, in the quintet with Tucker, Casarin, Brooks and Kabengele. Brindisi tries to put it into rhythm, with a furious Sneed in evidence, the Orogaranata instead look for a more reasoned game and support in the area on Kabengele. From 10-6 in the 4th minute, it was Spissu’s triples in particular that led Umana Reyer to overtake and then up to 12-22 in the 7th minute, with a time out for Happy Casa. Even due to an unsportsmanlike performance by Kabengele assigned with the instant replay, the home team returned well to the pitch, reaching 18-22 in the 8th minute, when the game was interrupted for over 10 minutes due to the electronic scoreboard going haywire. with the first quarter ending at 19-22 at the restart. However, the negative effect of the forced break for Spahija’s boys continued at the start of the second quarter, with a run of 14-0 for 26-22 at 12’30”. After more than 6′ Wiltjer returns to move the score, but the inertia does not change and in the middle of the quarter, with a break reaching 23-3, Brindisi is ahead 35-25. Happy Casa also takes the lead to 40-29 at 16’30”, then there is the small Venetian reaction, which leads to 40-35 at 19′, even if, in the final, Kabengele’s third foul arrives before the half time closed at 45-38.
Coach Spahija changes the quintet (Spissu, Heidegger, Tucker, Wiltjer and Tessitori) and Umana Reyer returns with Tucker’s dunk on the reversal of the court after a block by Tessitori, who however suffers from Bayehe’s good moment, also spending the third foul. The orogranata struggled to build, maintaining a delay of around 9 points until mid-quarter. From 54-45, a great play by Tucker, a counterattack finalized by Spissu, Tessitori and Heidegger’s blaze (assist behind the head for Tessitori’s dunk again and and one on the counterattack) narrowed it to 59-56 in the 27th minute, which it also becomes 59-57 with a free throw by Tessitori at 27’30”, even if the final is once again Brindisi’s, ahead 67-57 at the last interval. Kabengele returns to the field at the start of the final period and makes himself felt under the boards, leading Umana Reyer to 67-60 at 32’30”, but Brindisi is still in control, finding the orogranata bonus after less than 3′ and taking advantage also of Tucker’s expulsion for an elbow to Laquintana in the 34th minute. At this juncture comes the result of Treviso, who by winning in Varese condemned the Apulians to relegation, with the public chanting “we will return to Serie A”. Umana Reyer tries to take advantage of their opponents’ moment of confusion to gradually mend the game, with Kabengele as the great protagonist, from 75-64 in the middle of the quarter to 77-74 entering the last 2 minutes. However, the orogranatas only managed to get to -2 (80-78) 50″ from the siren, then closing with a score of 84-80.
HAPPY CASA BRINDISI – UMANA REYER VENEZIA 84-80 (19-22, 26-16, 22-16, 17-23)
SCORESHEET:
Happy Casa: Morris 14, Malaventura ne, Laquintana 4, Sneed 22, Laszewski 7, Smith, Seck ne, Lombardi 7, Bartley 9, Riismaa ne, Bayehe 17, Washington 4. All. Sakota.
Umana Reyer: Spissu 23, Tessitori 5, Heidegger 6, Casarin 2, O’Connell, Janelidze ne, Kabengele 19, Parks 1, Brooks 2, Wiltjer 11, Barbero ne, Tucker 11. All. Spahija.
Umana Reyer Press Office Venice
