Faenza. A1 Women’s Basketball. Play-out, defeat for O.ME.PS Battipaglia at E-Work (81-60). Relegation play-off with Sanga Milano | Battipaglia 1929

At the PalaBubani, in the match valid as Game 3 of the First Round of the Play-Outs of the Techfind Women’s Serie A1 championship, a double celebration for the hosts of the E-Work Faenza Basket Project who, in addition to winning the match, won the permanence in the top flight. The latter is an objective that O.ME.PS Battipaglia will try to achieve in the Second Round of the Play-Outs to be played (always the best of the three matches) in front of Sanga Milano with the orange and white teams who, better placed at the end of the regular season, they will be able to play the eventual match at Zauli. Final score: 81-60.

The news.

Very high stakes, but the two teams don’t seem to be affected, so much so that they give life to a lively first half. The start of the contest is characterized by the back-and-forth between Tagliamento and Seka: they are the only ones to score the baskets scored in the first 4 minutes (6-4 Faenza). In the central phase, the guests did better as they first overtook (triple from Ferrari) then tried to push forward, with Smorto and Policari as protagonists: in the eighth, Battipaglia was ahead by 3 (11-14). In the final stages of the period, here is the reaction of the hosts who, on the Peresson-Cvijanovic axis, return to lead. At 10′, Faenza is ahead by 3 (17-14).

Second quarter equally lively and, in its development, follows what happened in the previous part. In the initial part the E-Work gives continuity to the positive moment by extending it further (+8 at 12′, 22-14). Then, here is the new rise of O.ME.PS which, with a good team performance enhanced by the winning long-distance shots of Ferrari and Domenger, returns to the wake reaching -2 twice (at 14′ at 26-24 and at 16′ at 30-28). Finally, here is the inertia overturning again and smiling at a Faenza who, held by the hand by Tagliamento, returns to put a consistent space between itself and its opponents, also reaching the maximum advantage. At the long start, the Romagna team are ahead by 11 (41-30).

A third quarter which sees the two teams essentially equal is more linear in the progression: the fraction is characterized by various tears and counter-breaks which, however, change little in terms of the distance between the two contenders which always remains in double figures and dancing between the 11 and 18 points. In short, Faenza continues to lead the way with, in the period, Dixon doing well to shine. The +18 is reached in the 25th minute at 54-36. Battipaglia, on the other hand, does not lack generosity, but fails to undermine the certainties of the home team and, despite a never tamed Smorto (his performance was of substance) struggles to keep up with the pacesetters. In any case, O.ME.PS recovered something in the second half of the quarter, demonstrating that they did not want to give up. At 30′, E-Work is ahead by 13 (61-48).

In the initial part of the final half, Battipaglia strengthens this intention by recovering again: Potolicchio’s spectacular 4-point play is worth -10 (64-54) in the 31st minute. Faenza, however, has no desire to squander what has been achieved in the precedence and, with Tagliamento and Dixon on the shields, he signs an impressive acceleration which, at minute 36, means +20 (76-56) and victory in his pocket. In fact, at that point, O.ME.PS no longer has the time and space necessary to get back on track. The last minutes pass without danger for an E-Work which, at the sound of the final siren, celebrates for the partial success (with the score of 81-60) and, above all, for achieving the coveted salvation. For Battipaglia (who sweetened her bitterness with the debut in the top flight of Sara Cavallo and Benedetta Chiovato – the latter also scoring her first point in A1 – yet another products of the thriving white-orange cantera) the objective of salvation will require a further series to be played, always the best of three, in the presence of Sanga Milano.

FINAL RESULT: 81-60 (17-14; 41-30; 61-48; 81-60).

MATCH SCORESHEET:

E-Work Faenza Basket Project
Franceschelli 3, Edokpaigbe, Niemojewska 4, Cvijanovic 8, Tagliamento 23, Peresson 11, Bernabè, Gori, Spinelli 5, Grande, Dixon 23, Brossmann 4. Coach: Seletti.

O.ME.PS Battipaglia
Seka 6, Potolicchio 6, Cavallo, Chiovato B. 1, Yurkevichus 4, Policari 3, Smorto 14, Chiovato F., Johnson 11, Milani, Domenger 7, Ferrari 8. Coach: Dragonetto.