Race 1 is from Brescia. Leonessa manages to enter the playoffs on the right foot unlike Milan who had to give in to Trento at the Forum. The PalaLeonessa match, which began in silence due to the protest from the curve, ended with the celebration for the 79 to 70 victory.
Germani dominates the first match of the playoff series against Pistoia for almost three quarters. A game that seemed to be on ice: the first quarter ended 23 to 12 and the second at 48 to 28. And instead a never tamed Esra reopens everything, even managing to impact the score at 63 all at half-way through the fourth quarter. In that phase everything that previously came easy to Germani no longer works, the basket seems haunted. Christon gives the shock with the usual (sumptuous) Bilan, then Massinburg also wakes up with two consecutive triples from game, set and match.
The aforementioned Bilan goes the award for best on the pitch and when he isn’t there, his absence is felt. In the end he scored 19 points and 18 rebounds. Good performance also for Akele and Della Valle, but both especially in the initial phase. No parquet for Petrucelli, who was kept firmly on the bench by coach Magro. Evidently his injury has not yet been completely overcome.
Victory had to be and victory it was. 1 to 0, see you again on Tuesday.
The match
The Pallacanestro Brescia playoffs open with Pistoia and with four points scored by Della Valle from free throws and Bilan. Varnado responds, then it’s Christon’s turn and again Adv but from the arc: after three and a half minutes of play the score is 9 to 2. Despite the protest from the Brescian curve (no chants in the first quarter due to the price of tickets) the atmosphere is tense, like a playoff. Della Valle scores another triple which allows Germani to take off despite a few too many mistakes. Pistoia struggles to score points and Germani takes off. Akele gets on the scoresheet scoring the plus 10 (15 to 5) and Esra stops everything. The timeout is good for the Tuscans and in particular for Ogbeide, but the Brescian 45 re-establishes the distance, immediately increased by a beautiful two-man game between Bilan and Christon. Akele closes the quarter setting the score at 23 to 12.
Assisted by Cournooh and supported by Cobbins. Thus begins the second period. After a dull first quarter, Moore wakes up in Esra’s line and takes charge of him and in a quick sequence five points, but in defense he commits a foul which he contests by showing a hint of nervousness. Brescia, on the other hand, is anything but nervous: with a very noisy PalaLeonessa back, they increase the gap to 36-19 which pushes coach Brienza to ask for a timeout. However, the reaction does not arrive, instead Burnell’s triple arrives. Varnado also scores from the arc and at 41 to 23 Magro also calls the first timeout for Brescia. Less than a turn of the clock before the long break it’s Massinburg’s turn to take a free triple and make it. Icing from Burnell, but Moore, a little abandoned, rushes the buzzer beater that comes in. 48 to 28.
Ready, via Ogbeide goes to the basket and Willis hurts from the arc. Bilan unblocks Germani and scores three from the arc, left very free. However, Hawkins also enters the game with two free throws and a home basket from him which leads Magro to stop everything. After a first half in which Esra struggled for long stretches to find the way to the basket, in this phase they scored more. An extra luxury budget allows Brescia to maintain their large lead. However, there is no shortage of ingenuity such as a technical in Burnell and the anti-sportsman in Massinburg. At 61 to 53 set in Hawkins, two minutes from the third break, it’s time for a new timeout at Germani. This is the most difficult phase for Brescia who are no longer able to score and concede. 61 to 65.
For the first two minutes of the last period no one scores again. Massinburg breaks Brescia’s fast, certainly not in the evening, with two free throws. Pistoia gets even closer with Varnado’s free throws, triples from Willis and Moore make it a 63-63 draw, while for Germani the basket remains haunted. It takes a much sought-after triple from Christon to break the curse, at least momentarily. The CJ moment begins with two triples in succession from game, set and match. The last joy is signed by Akele and Willis scores the triple of the flag. It ends 79 to 70.
