Game 1 of the playoff finals belongs to Vismederi Costone Siena. In a PalaOrlandi set up for great occasions, it is Tozzi’s team that comes out on top and maintains the field factor in view of game 2. The match, which had seen Mens Sana start better in the first fractions of the match, sees the yellow-greens recover the margin and close already ahead at the end of the first half. Now Tozzi’s team is waiting for game 2 which will be played again at PalaOrlandi next Wednesday, May 15th, at 9.00 pm. Green and white start to the match: Pannini and Marrucci immediately unblock the guests. Costone replies and catches up with their opponents at 6-6, but it is still Mens Sana who accelerates and goes to 6-12. Coach Tozzi, 4’20” from the first siren, chooses to call it a minute, after which Nasello and Banchi try to get closer but the Giorgi and Prosek baskets bring the guests back to +6. Closing the first quarter is Nasello’s free throw which scores 14-19. In the second quarter it is the yellow-green Siena that seeks redemption: Zeneli and Bruttini immediately score, while in Mens Sana it is Sabia who tries to keep the boat afloat. In the end it is Radchenko who gives him the equalizer, while the first advantage is signed by Nasello. A series of trips to the line by Banchi then, interspersed with a point by Tognazzi, gave the score 35-32 at the interval. Terrosi’s bomb raises the curtain on the second twenty of the match but Iozzi responds with the same fundamental twice and leads his team to +1. The counter-overtaking was not long in coming: Radchenko’s super dunk together with Nasello’s points brought the yellow-greens to +3. The guests try to stay in contact with Tognazzi and Prosek, but Banchi and Terrosi do not fail in their trips to the line, while Nasello scores the 51-44 on the counterattack. Coach Betti wants to stop Costoni’s partial with a time-out after which Cucini scores four points. In the final, Bruttini tries to re-establish the seven-point gap but, right at the siren, Marrucci scores the shot to make it 56-51. Mens Sana comes out of the last mini-interval convinced that they are going for broke: Pannini, Tognazzi and then the usual Cucini go beyond Nasello’s points and give the green and whites the lead again. Tozzi’s team is good at not being surprised and regains command of the match with Nasello and Bruttini. The clock is now running and it is allied with Costone who returns to lead the challenge: Banchi’s bomb with 1’11” to go makes it 70-66. Coach Betti calls for a minute, but right at the final stages Terrosi makes a triple which effectively closes the game at 73-66.
Vismederi Costone Siena – Notes of Siena Mens Sana73-66
Parties:14-19; 35-32; 56-51
