A Diesel-trained Apu takes part in Game 1 of the play-off quarter-finals against Cremona, buried at the final siren 30 points down. Seeing the result one would think of a match that has never been a match and instead Juvi was on par with Udine for three quarters who, while waiting for Clark’s recovery (he will be ready for the possible semi-final), had a Caroti who did not seem to be affected by the long absence due to injury.
Udine leaves the starting blocks, Juvi scores an 8-0 run which forces coach Vertemati to call a time out after 1’17”. Gaspardo breaks the ice after 2’28”, but the problems in defense remain: the Friulian guards (Arletti and Monaldi) are unable to contain the US pair from Cremona made up of Shield and Cotton. With a basket from Timperi the guests even reach the double lead (7-18), then Udine slowly begins to mend the gap and first with two free throws from Alibegovic and then with a triple from Gaspardo they get within four and then close behind. seven (18-25). Udine shot 33% from two, Cremona 61%: the difference is all here. We need to defend better and the Bianconeri are starting to do so also thanks to the intervention of the bench: coach Vertemati orders a match-up zone which puts grains of sand in the opponent’s attack. Da Ros, in the caliph version, leads the attack in attack with six points in a row, then it is Cannon, assisted by Da Ros, who signs the first advantage (27-25). In the first five minutes of the second quarter Cremona scores just four points, at half-time there will be ten, compared to twenty-five in the first part. It all depends on APU’s defense.
There’s also time for a bit of entertainment with a UFO dunk by Arletti. Udine continues to defend strongly but mismanages a couple of attacks that could allow them to make the first attack, but having put their nose forward is already something (37-35).
Vertemati starts again with the first quarter quintet. Gaspardo scores two baskets from beyond the arc which are worth the plus 6 (43-37), but in an amen the two Americans from Cremona cancel the gap. Monaldi’s powder is wet, but then he has the courage to take a shot from 8 metres. Carnera gets angry for a couple of blocks from Gaspardo considered fouls and is exalted for two bombs from Alibegovic, up to that moment a little in the shade which are worth plus nine (62-53) but Cremona doesn’t give up and comes back to minus six . Apu starts again in the last quarter with some problems with fouls (Gaspardo, Da Ros and De Laurentiis have three). The decisive push, and what a push, came at the beginning of the last set with a 20-0 run signed by two bombs from Ikangi, one from Da Ros and Gaspardo, a basket from Cannon, a 3 plus 1 basket from Monaldi who the 87-61 that makes Carnera explode is not worth as much as, however, the alley-oop with Gaspardo’s backward dunk for the 91-61 basket which completes the incredible 24-0 partial with which the boys of Vertemati put the lid on the match.
Tuesday evening is already time for game 2. The depth of the bench and the defensive intensity seem to be the weapons that must bring Udine to game 3 on Friday in Cremona with a double lead.
