Mensanini win 72-71 in Game 5 against San Vincenzo. Sunday Game 1 of the final
Notes of Siena Mens Sana Basketball Siena – Garden Toscana Resort San Vincenzo Basket 72-71 (23-18, 41-38, 55-56)
SIENA NOTES: Brambilla, Pannini 9, Iozzi 4, Giorgi ne, Marrucci 8, Figus ne, Puccioni 13, Sabia 5, Cucini 5, Prosek 14, Tognazzi 14. All.: Betti
GARDEN TUSCANY: Bongini 3, Guerrieri 17, Bazzano 6, Persico 12, Cenerini ne, Giovani 3, Bertini 4, Bini, Mezzacapo 5, Battaglini ne, Bianchi 13, Zanassi 8. All.: Barons
Referees: Deliallisi Matias from Livorno and Baldini Matteo from Castelfiorentino
Note: Spectators approximately 1500, 5f exited Prosek, Tognazzi, Persico, expelled due to technical problems Iozzi
What was it like? Ah, yes, the tale of the beautiful slave. On that terrible spring evening, in castle on viale Sclavo the brave young green-and-whites found themselves, all beautiful, all strong. Challenging them in single combat was a stubborn band pirates of the next sea. To those who received the coveted palm, glory was paid, to the others an uncertain fate. And taràtara tara… we arrive at the final moments…
With 2’44” remaining in the last quarter, do you cook, left free, puts us back in the lead with a mid-range shot: 70-69. 2’16” from the end Marrucci on entry he slips between Bertini and Bazzano and gives the green and whites a full advantage: 72-69. On the reversal, at 1’58” Perch forces on Prosek and commits his fourth foul. At 1’44” as Puccioni is about to finish, he fails to cut out Prosek to Guerrieri and the referees whistle for a foul: the long green and white is also out for 5f. At 1’30”, Perch pirouettes and surprises Sabia: 72-71. At 1’12” do you cook contests a rebound in attack, Persico sees it late and fouls: 5f goes out. But do you cook makes it 0-2. Saint Vincent-1 but with the ball in hand, he takes his time, with 45” remaining the prayer of Warriors he is Marrucci’s prey. There Notes from Siena in the next action he only manages to use up time: 20” to go. For San Vincenzo, having prevented the play underneath with Mezzacapo, he shoots Bertini with 12” of play remaining: captain Pannini puts his hands in his face without committing a foul. He’s wrong, the rebound is do you cook who receives a tactical foul with 5” remaining. Still 72-71. Unfortunately in the free throws it’s another 0-2. There will be a restart for San Vincenzo. The last shot is of whites who makes a mistake, then the ball is prey to Puccioni and woe betide anyone who touches it. Mensani jubilation.
Final, final. On Sunday it will still be a derby against Costone. Whoever wins three times triumphs in the championship and goes to Serie B. Thank you “Sherazade” Mens Sanaplease tell us more…
Two hours earlier things had looked different. From Saint Vincent many had arrived: inertia was on their side. Certainly more than two hundred who this time however chose – at their request – to stand at the opposite end of the hemicycle from the “little terrace” with a belt of police forces. They blew the trumpets and with them initially managed to make themselves heard. Until their team came in to warm up: wow, especially for whitesthey were thunderous. Zanassi from the corner he will have made a 6/6, or even better… Luckily, later, when the clock was ticking, he practically never had the ball in that position.
When you start playing there is immediately a variation compared to the previous four: the Note di Siena does not give up the initiative. Vittorio Tognazzi returns to being the “bad guy”, even if he has a particular marking, Prosek like him, Captain Pannini to post it from afar when San Vincenzo tends to prevail.
If you look at the numbers of the match, the difference lies entirely here. Or rather, the one who was able to resist the fear of winning the most won. The teams shot with the same percentages, had more or less the same balance in rebounds and in the turnover/stealing ratio. To the advantage of the Note di Siena are the greater number of counterattack actions brought to completion and having been ahead for over twenty-five minutes; San Vincenzo’s demerit is that he did even worse than the green and whites in the free.
Having victory now within reach played terrible tricks on both teams. San Vincenzo starting from the first quarter with a sort of wear and tear which appears more evident than in others in Persico. And Bianchi isn’t too well either, but we don’t know if it’s for a reason late rethinking of conscience. However, there are Bazzano, Bertini and above all Warriorsthe match’s top scorer, who don’t waste balls, who with their half-prayers always find the bottom of the basket, who put their hands in defense.
The men from Mensan don’t seem to think about victory. Management had asked them to be dignified and this seems to be enough for them until they actually think that they could win. And at that point San Vincenzo takes the lead with a sudden 7-0: 41-44. The guests stay ahead for an entire quarter, until the heart starts to feel anguish again after having reached the maximum advantage (+5: 51-56).
Thus we arrive at the ending already described which for better or for worse can be called Cucini’s finale. Who puts her inside, forces her to make mistakes, makes mistakes, reconquers, makes mistakes again and in the end throws herself at the neck of the Caliani saidfrom Valdelsa like him.
The refereeing took out three strategic players ahead of time, however it displeased both teams equally, so good refereeing which above all was not decisive in the match. Opposite thing that instead must be said for coach Betti and his staff who from the beginning showed the ability to intervene not only on the game strategy but also on the morale of the team.
