From Capo d’Orlando comes a one and only invitation addressed to the blue and white fans: on Wednesday evening 22 May everyone at the Pala Poli to support the DAI Optical Virtus Basket Molfetta and tie the score in Game 2.
Once again Sicily proved to be bitter for the coach’s men Carolillowho at the Infodrive Arena in Capo d’Orlando lost in Game 1 of the semi-final to the home team with a result of 74-66.
A match, in some ways, similar to the one played in Sicily a month ago against the same team Orlandina Basketball, with the difference that this time the reaction from Virtus did not arrive.
The approach to the match in the first quarter was all to be forgotten for DAI Optical who immediately suffered the attacks of the hosts, leaving too much space for their star performer, Jasaitis, author of another extraordinary match and 21 points scored.
Virtus is immediately forced to chase their opponents at the beginning of the first ten minutes: the 10-0 partial immediately shows how the match is going to be uphill from the start. The first blue and white creation arrives with Stefanini almost halfway through the first quarter, followed by two further points scored by Sirakov from the bezel.
The report of the first quarter is all Sicilian style where Capo d’Orlando is always leading, Jasaitis, who lets off bombs from every position with a very high average of achievement.
At the end of the first quarter, which ended on 22-11And Aramburu with two shots from the foul line and subsequently Glory to shorten distances. The start of the second quarter proved to be equally complex for Molfetta who continued to lose precious balls, triggering Orlandina’s rapid restart.
It is Gloria who finds a basket that is not simple and of remarkable achievement, while for the white and blues the first triple arrives only halfway through the second quarter with Stefanini. Stefanini again, shortly after, repeats himself with a two-point basket and an additional free throw.
Virtus believes in it, intensifies the attacks and at 32-26 tries to close the gap even further. He does it with a beautiful and difficult layup from Aramburu which brings the white and blues to -4 from Capo d’Orlando: this will be the minimum disadvantage of the entire match.
In fact, unlike the match a month ago, Orlandina is not surprised and quickly resumes her run. On the other hand, Virtus only partially exploits the opportunities from the line: both Aramburu and Calisiat the end of the second quarter, they make one out of two, while it is the Spaniard who finalizes Sirakov’s assist with a basket.
The two teams go to the long shot with a result of 38-32. The games remain completely open, but Capo d’Orlando continues to push concretely and at the beginning of the third quarter gets back to +10 and then to +15.
Infodrive Orlandina defends well, preventing the biancazzurri from going to the basket: in fact 4 minutes pass from the last two points scored by Molfetta to the two free throws made by Aramburu.
At 55-40 it is still the Spaniard who closes the gap with a triple, while exactly at the end of the third quarter comes a bomb from Calisi. At the end of the third quarter the scoreboard scores 60-49 in favor of Capo d’Orlando for a liability that continues to be significant. Sirakov tries to play the charge for him: at the beginning of the last quarter he finds the basket which is worth -9 and then a triple which gives hope to Virtus.
However, the attempt to get back into the game undermines the defensive solidity of the opponents and their ability to get to the basket more easily. At 69-55, Capo d’Orlando continues its march towards victory, so much so that the attempts to reopen the match by Aramburu (author of a dunk) and Stefanini (scoring at the end with a triple) prove useless. .
The first round between Capo d’Orlando and Virtus Molfetta ends 74-66but on Wednesday at 8.30 pm we repeat at the Pala Poli with Race 2. The best Virtus will be needed to even the score and bring the challenge to the “beautiful” one.
Infodrive Orlandina Basket DAI Optical Virtus Basket Molfetta
1st quarter 22 11
2nd quarter 38 32
3rd quarter 60 49
4th quarter 74 66
Scoreboards:
DAI Optical Virtus Basket Molfetta: Aramburu 27, Sirakov 10, Calisi 7, Stefanini 11, Formica 3, Paglia 0, Gloria 6, Giorgini 2, Sadreika 0, Mezzina ne. All. Carolillo
Infodrive Orlandina Basket: Carida 4, Jasaitis 21, Gatti 14, Mascherpa 9, Moltrasio 8, Favali 1, Marini L. 8, Agbortabi 6, Mentonelli 3, Marini D 0. All. Bolignano.
Photo by Donato Volpe
