VIRTUS SIENA – PAVIA 75-68 (20-21; 40-43; 56-56)
VIRTUS: Berardi, Bolis 6, Bartoletti 8, Dal Maso 17, Bruttini ne, Aminti ne, Laffitte 12, Olleia 5, Costantini 3, Calvellini 4, Diminic 15, Lombardo 5. Coach Ceccarelli
PAVIA: Banin 3, Ferri 3, Apuzzo 4, Stonkus 12, Hidalgo 7, Invernizzi ne, Spatti 15, Gravaghi 10, Ferretti, Pesenato 14, Ciocca ne. All. Crystals
SIENA Virtus wins 75-68 in front of their fans and takes the series to the decisive Game 3. A test of determination and intensity for Virtus who, in a point-to-point match, managed to make the decisive move towards the end victory home.
Strong start from the guests who take the first lead at 5-9 taking advantage of some defensive inattention from Virtus. However, the rossoblu come back immediately, but in the first half they suffer too much from the internal play of Spatti and Pesenato, who score almost all of Pavia’s points. At the end of the quarter, however, some good defense allowed Virtus to run and shorten the lead, closing the first quarter at 20-21.
The second period opens with 8 points in a row from Gravaghi which allow the guests to extend their lead. Siena is once again good at reacting and scores an 8-0 run that reaches the score of 35. The teams continue arm in arm until the end, when a triple from Stonkus takes care of the game and closes the score at 40-43.
At the start of the third quarter, Virtus found their first lead thanks to an excellent defense. The teams alternate in taking the lead, creating an intense and lively match, which ends with perfect balance at the end of the half at 56-56.
In the final period, Virtus put out a super performance in the defensive half of the field, conceding very little to Pavia. The break in the game was given by a 5-0 run entirely marked by Bolis, which brought Virtus to 68-61, a score on which the two teams were blocked for a few minutes. Baskets by Stonkus and Spatti and a floater by Hidalgo from the center of the area allow the guests to get back to -2. In a fiery final, Virtus finds a very important basket with Diminic with 35 seconds left for the +4. Stonkus’ triple doesn’t go and Virtus closes it with precision free throws. It ends 75-68, Siena wins Game 2 and takes the series to the decisive Game 3.
