Aerial duel between Libertas and Fa
© Facebook photo, Faenza Raggisolaris
Livorno – On the eve it was clear to everyone that Faenza was a tough nut to crack, one of the worst pairings that could happen in the first round. After race 1, perhaps, someone thought that Raggisolaris didn’t have enough to have its say in this series. But these are the playoffs. Very little time to catch your breath, matches that can be very different from each other two days apart, and nerves that play a fundamental role. Faenza certainly changed something from game 1: they approached better, thanks to LL’s somewhat subdued entry into the field. They immediately took the lead in scoring, closing the first quarter at 9-17 thanks to a triple by Begarin on a great evening. A triple from the corner by Saccaggi unblocked the Amaranths, capable of playing a second quarter of 27-8, culminating with Fratto’s basket at the end which gave him +11. But upon returning from the changing rooms, when the inertia seemed entirely in favor of the amaranths, Faenza lights up. Begarin puts the black and greens on his shoulders and scores three baskets that lead to a draw. Saccaggi tries to play the charge with another bomb, but Faenza scores with great continuity. The home attack was reined in by the Faenza players, who took advantage of Livorno’s low percentages to close in on the area. The partial of the third quarter is a resounding 6-29 in favor of the guests, who escape with a +12.
Libertas remains alive, the public believes in it to the end, but Akern repeatedly wastes possession capable of re-establishing an affordable margin. At minus 5, with 30 seconds to go, the triple that would keep the lamp lit goes out on the iron. Appointment on Friday, game 3 will be played at the Pala Cattani in Faenza at 8.30 pm.
Akern Libertas Livorno – Blacks Faenza 62 to 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)
