It was known from the start of the series that there was no worse opponent than Faenza to face in the quarter-finals. And therefore one could also predict that the ‘beautiful’ could be used to decide the semi-finalist between Raggisolaris and Libertas. A little less after the near-siren success in game 3 which, thanks to Poletti’s injury, could have been a half-ko, but Garelli’s neroverdi deserve the credit for having distorted the game of Fratto and his teammates who were at times frustrated by the suffocating defense of the Blacks. Yesterday’s match, which Begarin and his teammates ended at 61-56, a small gap that reflects a great balance between the two teams and leaves Livorno’s hopes alive for the on-or-off match next Wednesday 15 May.
“It’s obvious that Faenza was keen not to go home and deservedly won because they were in front for 30 minutes out of 40 – Andreazza attacks after the match -. In such a balanced series and in such a balanced match they were good at finding those mini advantages not from games but from counterattacking situations, with attacks that become important. Without Poletti they found solutions with Galassi, who unfortunately entered the series, or Papa’s bombs which were not foreseeable and against 1/7 of the players. Our number four made the difference. These are details that are decisive when a match is decided by five points.”
“At the beginning of the series, in my opinion, it was quite foreseeable that we would go to Game 5 – concludes the Amaranth coach -, they are two teams that are equal. The details have made the difference and will make it. We get to the ‘good’ moment with a small home advantage, they with that of a victory, but just as Faenza didn’t get depressed after game 4 we shouldn’t. Now the series is very clear tactically, we’ll have to find advantages in the details and when the last siren will sound. whoever is in front will rejoice.”
