Livorno, 7 May 2024 – A victory of inestimable value for the Piellewho in race 2 spreads theAndrea Costa Imola 89-80. A success that was not large, however it took place in the last quarter of a match always on the razor’s edge as the rule dictates when breathing the rarefied air of the playoffs, but very heavy. Now Caffè Toscano leads the quarter-final series 2-0 for A2. And the series can end on Friday in Emilia. Chiarini’s performance was sensational, once again a true driving force and clutch player in the roster available to Marco Cardani. For the Argentine, 28 points on the scoresheet with 10/13 from medium range. Laganà, Campori and Pagani are the other players in double figures.
STARTING FIVE
PL: Rubbini, Chiarini, Ferraro, Lo Biondo, Diouf (all. Cardani)
IM: Sorrentino, Drocker, Aukstikalnis, Ranuzzi, Crespi (all. Di Paolantonio)
1QT (26-22)
And Imola broke the ice with Sorrentino (0-2). Pielle responds immediately with Rubbini (2-2). Drocker rebounds and then places the jumper to make it 4-2. Diouf is ready for the reversal (4-4). As well as Rubbini, who was good at stealing the ball in the center of the pitch (6-4). The elf Rubbini had a fiery start to the match as he penetrated and found the rim with extreme ease (8-8). In the middle of the half Chiarini finds a 3-point play with a basket with contact and an additional free throw (11-10). Pielle plays more loosely, Cardani dictates the law with a game plan aimed at limiting shots from the perimeter to encourage more raids at the rim. Pagani dominates the paint, making his tonnage count (19-12). Ranuzzi doesn’t agree and carries Imola onto his shoulders (21-16). But Laganà fires the first bomb of the evening in the 9th minute (24-16). On the sensational triple siren from Aukstikalnis that keeps Imola afloat in the 10th minute (26-22).
2QT (47-39)
Crespi reduces the deficit to -2 after the basket under the boards (26-24). Aukstikalnis finds the equalizer from mid range (26-26). Aukstikalnis doesn’t stop and resists contact with Campori and places the ball on the scoreboard for a new draw (28-28). Superb Rubbini-Campori combination: the former assists with a ball to cut Imola’s defense in two, the latter finishes with a triple from the corner to make it 31-28 in the 13th minute. Aukstikalnis truly confirms himself as a crystalline talent, after a lateral step back preparatory to the release from the mid range (31-31). Campori repeats the little game from earlier, this time from the opposite corner, served by Chiarini and shoots the triple to make it 34-31. Which is followed closely by Ferraro’s: first extension of the half for Pielle, who sits on the bench for the time out called by coach Di Paolantonio with his Imola down 37-31. Corcelli responds present, the captain of Imola, and brings his team back to -4 (39-35). Then Chiarini takes care of patching things up with the fundamental triple of 41-36, to prevent Andrea Costa from going back down (41-36). At the siren, Diouf’s basket takes the rebound and doesn’t miss the opportunity to make it 47-39.
3QT (65-64)
Ready to go Drocker, former Pielle, scores a three-pointer for Imola (47-42). But Chiarini blasts Imola’s defense on the counterattack which makes the PL escape at +9 (51-42). Very open triple by Ranuzzi to close the gap (51-47), but the Argentine Chiarini plays with experience and takes contact by going to the basket: three-point play in the 24th minute which is worth the (54-47). He always finds winning combinations inside the paint, this time along the Laganà-Diouf axis (56-49). Aukstikalnis puts a lot of effort into him, given his crystalline talent, to see the wonderful triple in terms of shooting mechanics which is worth -2 in the 26th minute (56-54). Marangoni joins the club of players on the scoresheet and with the help of the iron he scores the bomb of 61-59. But Imola’s time out comes after Pagani’s spike for Pielle +4 (63-59). Imola confirms itself as a tough nut to crack and with Ranuzzi with his back to the basket he finds the jumper to make it -1 (65-64).
4QT (89-80)
Laganà’s triple at the start of the fourth quarter was fundamental, at the 24-second buzzer (68-64). But Andrea Costa’s captain, Corcelli, replies with the same coin in the 33rd minute (68-67). When Chiarini penetrates he does terrible things to the Emilian defense, first for 70-67, then for 72-67. It’s a shame that Aukstikalnis truly confirms himself as a lethal sniper from the arc (72-70). Imola takes the lead in the 35th minute with the bomb that freezes PalaMacchia (72-73). Advantage that lasts a handful of seconds due to Laganà’s triple, as a counter-response in kind (75-73). Chiarini takes care of taking the chestnuts out of the fire at Caffè Toscano, with the triple from the dribble of +4 (79-75). Here too, Andrea Costa’s response was immediate. With who? Aukstikalnis, and who else? 79-78 the score with 4 minutes to play. With the liberos providing oxygen in the 38th minute, the lead rose to +5, then to +6 with Laganà’s triple to chase away Captain Corcelli’s play (86-80). But the Triglie shut down game 2 the following minute, with the crazy play of Chiarini, who penetrates with the ball that passes under his legs and also takes a forbidden shot. At 88-80, it’s the de profundis for Imola. It ends 89-80.
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