Akern Libertas Livorno – Blacks Faenza 62-67 (9-17, 27-8, 6-29, 20-13)
Akern Libertas Livorno: Luca Tozzi 11 (0/0, 3/6), Andrea Saccaggi 11 (1/2, 3/7), Antonello Ricci 9 (3/7, 0/6), Tommaso Fantoni 9 (1/1 , 0/0), Leon Williams 8 (1/1, 2/3), Gregorio Allinei 7 (0/3, 1/4), Andrea Bargnesi 5 (1/5, 1/2), Francesco Fratto 2 (1 /1, 0/5), Dorin Buca 0 (0/0, 0/0), Nicola Vicenzini 0 (0/0, 0/0)
Free throws: 16 / 19 – Rebounds: 37 3 + 34 (Francesco Fratto 9) – Assists: 16 (Leon Williams 5)
Blacks Faenza: Jessie Begarin 17 (4/8, 3/6), Mitchell Poletti 9 (2/8, 1/3), Giacomo Siberna 9 (2/2, 0/1), Sebastian Vico 9 (2/6, 0/3), Francesco Papa 8 (2/4, 1/2), Marco Petrucci 8 (0/2, 2/2), Giovanni Poggi 5 (2/5, 0/0), Andrea Pastore 2 (0/ 0, 0/4), Luca Galassi 0 (0/0, 0/3), Pietro Ballarin 0 (0/0, 0/0)
Free throws: 18 / 27 – Rebounds: 40 8 + 32 (Mitchell Poletti 8) – Assists: 15 (Jessie Begarin, Sebastian Vico 4)
Dream evening for the Blacks who beat the Libertas Livorno field, impacting the series 1-1. A prestigious success also from a statistical point of view, because PalaMacchia had only been violated twice in the season, the last one on October 22nd. Now the series moves to Faenza where game 3 will be played on Friday at 8.30pm and game 4 on Sunday 4th at 6pm.
The Blacks have an excellent approach to the match, deploying grit and aggression, laying down the law under the scoreboards. Livorno shoots with low percentages and Faenza takes advantage of this by closing the first half ahead 17-9 thanks to Begarin’s triple. Libertas immediately reacts like a great team: with three triples and two free throws they take the lead 20-19, extending to 36-25 at the break. The Raggisolaris have to complain about the 7/14 from the foul line and the defense which concedes 27 points. But then they transform.
Upon returning from the changing rooms you can still see the team from the first half who wants to win at any cost. The defense and a precise attack allow them to gain momentum and post a 13-0 break inaugurated by two triples from Begarin. At 27′ Faenza leads 42-39, rejecting comeback attempts and always finding the right solution in attack, reaching their maximum advantage with Papa: 56-42. The public’s push galvanizes Libertas and they close to -9, but Petrucci takes care of it with the triple of 59-47 to bring his team back ahead by double figures. However, Livorno manages to close the score to 60-65 in the 57th minute, a break that doesn’t take away the Faenza team’s clarity. Aligni then fails a three-point shot with 30” remaining Pastore scored the free throws to make it 67-60, bringing the curtain down. The Blacks can celebrate.
Luca Del Favero
