In a setting of a very different category of public, with almost 2000 presences (of which 500 from Castellaneta), Virtus Matera won game 1 of the play-off semi-final, with a score of 82-69, against a Valentino Basket Castellaneta who gave everything, then leaving to the well-deserved applause of their supporters.
After an overbearing start from the hosts, Castellaneta managed to get back into the game in the second half of the first period by finding long-range solutions (especially with the newfound captain Caló). Then, in the second part of the third period, Matera managed to make the decisive push in the match, definitively distancing the red and whites, who were no longer able to find the key to the problem.
The two fouls called in the first 2 minutes of the match inevitably weighed on the economy of Vranjkovic’s match: the Slovenian center was limited in his defense by a referee who in the fight under the basket used a meter that was difficult to understand throughout the match.
For the red and whites the good news comes from a very rediscovered captain Caló, author of 18 points and a true beacon of the red and white attack in the afternoon at PalaSassi. On the other hand, the absolute driving force was Bagdonavicius (17 points), together with Biasich, Procopio and Morciano.
NEWS – Virtus Matera starts off strong and after the 2 fouls given to Vranjkovic in the first 2 minutes they have the green light under the basket: Bagdonavicius takes advantage first, then Buono penetrates and in the 3rd minute Procopio finds the triple for +6 (10-4). VBC is in difficulty and Matera takes advantage of it to score a 12-2 break with Bagdonavicius as the absolute driving force: 22-8 the score in the 7th minute. Drava stops the offensive bleeding with the triple and gives new life to the red and whites. Caló and Petronella in the last minute bring Castellaneta closer to -7: 22-15 the score at the end of the first quarter.
Captain Caló definitively takes the lead and finds three triples in the first 4 minutes which allow Castellaneta to overturn the score: 23-26 the score. A high-intensity, no-holds-barred battle begins: we start playing point-to-point with Bagdonavicius and Datuowei in the first phase, then Procopio tries to break the balance by hitting 3-pointers but Datuowei’s response arrives again from long range: 32-33 at 1:47 before the long break. In the final, Matera puts their nose forward again with Procopio’s 2+1, to which Caló responds with a 3 in the open field. Biasich’s 1/2 from the line closes a very high-intensity first half of the match at 36-37.
The point-to-point battle also continues in the first half of the third period: De Angelis and Biasich try to give the first push to the match from 3, but Castellaneta manages to stay attached to the match with Drava and Vranjkovic (now freer to express himself with a make them lighter). The red and white center interrupts Matera’s first “mini escape” in the 6th minute with a triple for -1 (49-48). An escape which, however, materializes in the last 2 minutes of the period with Procopio and Morciano unleashed. The latter’s triple allows Matera to close the third period with a double-digit lead: 62-52.
Castellaneta is stunned and Matera takes advantage of this to consolidate the advantage: Good penetration and Morciano’s 4-point play write a severe +15 (68-53) in the 3rd minute. The red and whites get nervous and at this point they finally pull out the oars. Matera also found the maximum advantage of +18 (75-57) with De Angelis, then in the final Castellaneta managed to nibble away a few points with triples from Drava and Caló: the final score was 82-69.
Game 2 will take place on Thursday at 8.00pm: Valentino Basket Castellaneta has demonstrated that it is fully involved in this semi-final and that it can very well play it all the way. The push from the red and white public will be needed, Thursday evening more than ever.
ONDATEL VIRTUS MATERA 82 – 69 VALENTINO BASKET CASTELLANETA
(22-15; 36-37; 62-52)
MATERA: Visceglia, Biasich 14, Buono 8, Belgrano, Spada 3, Procopio 14, De Laurentiis, Morciano 13, Bagdonavicius 17, Donati 2, De Mola, De Angelis 11. All. Conterosito; ass. Minafra.
CASTELLANETA: Drava 8, Carpignano 4, Petronella 5, Vranjkovic 13, Bangu Mbenza 7, Gaudiano 6, Datuowei 8, Guduric, Caló 18, Comes none, Dettorre none, Casarola none. Console Attachment; ass. Cosentino, Rotolo.
Partials: 22-15; 14-22; 26-15; 20-17.
Referees: Molfetta station and Serra di Brindisi.
