Reggio Emilia takes on the challenge against Napoli thanks to a highly respectable team performance, where in the young Faye they find the man who with his 24 points and 10 rebounds was unstoppable for the Napoli defense. Excellent performance also from Atkins, 16 points and also 10 rebounds, followed by a silent Galloway in the first half but decisive in the final. For Napoli, a great performance from Sokolowski who finished with 23 points, followed by 17 from Ennis and 10 from Pullen, not much from his teammates.
Starting quintets :
Unahotels: Uglietti, Galloway, Faye, Vitali, Chillo
GeVi : Zubcic, De Nicolao, Sokolowki, Brown, Owens
First quarter: Reggio’s start is entirely in the hands of Faye who scores the first 5 points of the match, Napoli finds 3 free throws from Brown who makes no mistake 5-3. The Reggio Emilia center repeats itself with 4 points in a row, for Naples Owens taps in for the 9-7. The first triple of the match is by Vitali, Napoli responds with the entry of Ennis and the free throw by Sokowoski for 12-10. Pullen’s entry brings the tie to 12 and then comes the triple from Sokolowki’s overtaking in the 9th minute of the game. In the final, first Black and then Grant overturn the score by finishing for 16-15.
Second quarter : We start with an unsportsmanlike foul on Lever with Uglietti converting free throws then Weber scoring his first basket. The first time out is called by Milicic on a steal by Weber and subsequent basket by Grant, 22-17. Napoli overtake again with triples from Ennis and Zubcic, Faye puts things back in order but it is Owens with a triple who makes it 26-28. Reggio finds 7 points in a row with Atkins, Grant and Uglietti who bring it to +5, Sokolowki interrupts the momentum from the center of the area. In the final 4 points from Atkins and a triple from Pullen at the mermaid for 40-35 with 4 seconds left, Sokolowki’s triple closes the quarter on 40-38.
Third fourth: After Owens’ equalizer, 4 Reggio points arrive with Black and Weber, and on the following basket by Black, who had previously stopped Ennis, Milic calls the minute 46-40. Reggio struggles in attack but Napoli is also no exception, Black scores his first free throw (1/5) and then Galloway breaks the deadlock with a triple 50-43. Napoli scores only from the line with Ennis and Sokolowski while Reggio finds Grant’s triple. In the final Reggio found Atkins and Faye the maximum advantage, +9 but it was the usual Sokolowki with a 2+1 game that put Gevi back at minus 6. In the final Reggio reached a 10 point lead with Gallowey even if he wasted with Faye 2 baskets from below, 63-53.
In the last quarter Reggio finds the extra man in Faye who brings them to +15, Napoli begins to fire blanks even hastily, only Ennis finds the way to the basket. However, the hosts are not precise from the line and are punished first by Zubcic and then again by Ennis for -8. After a long break on the bench, Weber returns and immediately triggers Faye for the dunk to make it 77-66, an obligatory minute for Milicic. Galloway’s triple from over 8 meters and the following one from the corner allow Unahotels to close the game which is worth access to the play offs, final 88-74.
UNAHOTELS REGGIO EMILIA – NAPLES WINNING GENERATION: 88-74 (15-14, 40-38, 65-53)
UNAHOTELS REGGIO EMILIA : Weber 4, Bonaretti, Cipolla, Galloway 16, Faye 24, Uglietti 9, Atkins 16, Black 7, Vitali 3, Grant 9, chillo. Coach Priftis
GeVi Naples : Pullen 10, Zubcic 9, Ennis 17, De Nicolao 2, Sinagra, Brown 3, Sokolowski 23, Lever, Bamba, Mabor dut Biar 1, Ebeling. Coach Milicic
Spectators 4076
Referees: Borgioni, Lucotti, Dori
