The key moment, the post-season: here it will be the “ennoblement” of eight teams (per group) who aspire to move up in category. Trieste again faces the grim Turin of former coach Ciani, already victorious against the red and whites in the last clash a few weeks ago. In this first match, therefore, the halberds will not enjoy field factor and will keep Campogrande out of the team according to the regulations. In a sadly parked Piedmontese public arena, let’s raise the ball!
I QUARTER
Brooks and Reyes punish immediately from the arc, while Torino prefers to play “under”: 9-7 for the guests after a few turns of the clock. Ruzzier complies with the order to penetrate continuously and the many turnovers of the yellow and blue cause Reale Mutua to slip 12 points down (19-7 for the halberds): Trieste shoots with an almost perfect 5/6 from three. Christian changes some elements of the quintet but now the triples are a little too forced: he lacks the right cynicism to weaken the confidence of the Piedmontese, despite Brooks playing with great acumen. Well very well Vilderawho also steals a few balls and imposes himself with personality under the boards and a torpedo from the very Trieste Stefano Bossi scores the +10 for the Giulians (28-18)
II QUARTER
The yellow and blues start in fourth, Christian punishes Menalo (perhaps too harshly) for two errors in a row and two lucky bombs set up the 10-0 run with which Torino not only equalises, but forces the guests to time out (28-28). What a red and white disaster! Pepe looks like Damian Lillard when he scores by shooting well beyond the 6.75 m line, Candussi forgets that competitive sport involves a certain degree of “badness” and now the Turin team lead 36-34; Trieste, as throughout the season, unfortunately, does not have a game, an offensive identity and the sorties too often translate into stolid long shots: there is no pick and roll, there is no low post, there is no pattern to free a shooter. Brooks spends his second foul and has to return to the bench, Ruzzier starts to quickly attack the home goals again: Ferrero replaces an inadequate Deangeli, Reyes is not put in a position to attack, and Reale ends up ahead at 45-41.
III QUARTER
Terrible start for the Giulians but the home team also didn’t excel and the match “stuck” at 52-48: shortly after Poser scored his tenth point in the painted area and a counterattack by De Vico gave his team +8 (56- 48) in the middle of the fraction. Brooks he reaches 16 personal signatures and closes the gap in scoring, but his teammates don’t support him properly, especially in the defensive phase; a note: the young Ghirlanda (2001) is putting the long players in their place, while Menalo is “frozen” on the bench. A bad, very bad third quarter ends on a “magata” by Filloy, whose buzzer beater the +2 is worth for Trieste (64-62).
IV QUARTER
Both quintets play unbearable basketball, of a quality well below that of Serie A2, and Vildera barely extends to +4 (66-62); Reyes tries to get closer to the rim, Pepe replies with a long seven-meter arc, but Candussi’s contribution is missing, always too soft and not very reactive; 71-67 for the Giulians halfway through the last quarter. The challenge finally becomes more interesting, exciting, and Brooks (24) continues to stain the score with ink by scoring +6 (75-69), three minutes from the end; Ruzzier defends well on Pepe, Thomas supports for -4 after an attacking rebound and “Ruzz” himself scores a great basket for 77-71, 1.46 from the siren. Vencato forces an unfortunate conclusion after a turnover by Reyes, but a triple from Ariel Filloy seems to put the seal on the match. The series of “trips” to the line on the two halves of the court begins, yet another Turin attempt from the arc only catches the rim and a great rebound from Vildera definitively closes the game.
Reale Mutua Torino Vs Pall. Trieste 2004 76 – 83
Trieste: Bossi 3, Menalo, Ferrero, Ruzzier 8, Rolli, Vildera 6, Candussi 9, Deangeli 3, Reyes 17, Filloy 11, Brooks 27. Coach Christian
Turin: Pepe 14, Thomas 17, Vencato 11, Ghirlanda 4, Schina 4, Fea, Poser 12, Rhao, Petruzzi, De Vico 14, Cusin, Kennedy. All. Ciani
Rajone
