REGGIO EMILIA
88
NAPLES
74
UNAHOTELS: Weber 4 (2/5, 0/1), Galloway 16 (2/6, 3/11), Vitali 3 (0/1, 1/1), Chillo (0/1), Faye 24 (10/ 14); Uglietti 9 (2/2, 1/3), Grant 9 (3/5, 1/3), Atkins 16 (6/8, 1/5), Black 7 (3/5), Cipolla, Bonaretti (0/ 2 from 3). All.: Priftis.
GEVI NAPOLI: De Nicolao 2 (1/2, 0/2), Sokolowki 23 (5/7, 3/7), Brown 3 (0/4 from 3), Zubcic 9 (2/7 from 3), Owens 9 (3/7, 1/3); Pullen 10 (3/8, 1/5), Lever, Ennis 17 (3/9, 2/4), Biar 1, Sinagra, Ebeling. Ne: Bamba. All.: Milicic.
Referees: Borgioni, Lucotti, Dori.
Partials: 16-15, 40-38; 63-53
Notes: Tl Reg 11/20 Nap 17/23. Reb.: Reg 52 (Atkins and Faye 10) Nap 34 (Sokolowski 12). Asst: Reg 25 (Galloway 7) Nap 17 (Ennis 5). Spectators 4076.
Pallacanestro Reggiana defeated Napoli and qualified for the playoffs with a day to spare, crowning a very positive year which had always seen them among the top eight. He does it without Smith, the designated leader who remained in the pits due to his shoulder injury, but showing off a majestic team effort, the kind that reconciles with the essence of basketball. A performance that also drew applause from Frosini and Kaukenas, honored by the club together with former CEO Dalla Salda (applause and boos for him when he collected the recognition) ten years after winning the Eurochallenge, the first trophy company raised by the association of via Martiri della Bettola.
The game was effectively in the balance until the 25th minute, then the first basket from the revived Galloway and above all the energy in the area from Faye, Grant and Atkins broke the push and pull that had characterized the start of the match, with Reggio always ahead but never able to make the decisive push. Everyone, as we were saying, brought their own brick to the cause, but it was above all under the basket that Unahotels made the difference. Being able to rely alternately on Black and Faye (this time not ‘knocked out’ by fouls…) Priftis’ team exploited the tactical advantage perfectly and the ‘relays’ of the opposing coach Milicic were of no use. In this regard, the rebound dominance (52 to 34) is exemplary. For ‘Momo’ the maximum number of points in his career (24) then arrived the day after the news of his eligibility for the next NBA draft and going forward at this rate, the chances of being able to pack his bags and fly overseas are many already in June. The standing ovation that the PalaBigi gave him is a certificate of esteem that at 19 years old was reserved, from memory, perhaps only to Basile and Melli, just to quantify his greatness. Now Reggio is back in fifth place and there is a very good chance that it will finish in this position. To do so they will have to win in Sassari or hope that Trento, playing in Bologna, doesn’t win. Barring any twists and turns, the red and whites will face Reyer Venezia in the first round of the playoffs.
