Salvation round, let’s start again. And Hdl Nardò Basket’s first opponent is Moncada Energy Fortitudo Agrigento, which will host the Granata on Sunday in the first return match of the poule. 22 points in the ranking, -8 from the safety threshold (which is precisely the 30 points of Toro) and 5 matches still to be played, the Sicilians’ mission is prohibitive. Much, very much, of Agrigento’s fate will depend on this challenge, more than a warning for Dalmonte’s men. Moreover, Fortitudo di Sicilia has already shown that they have never stopped believing in it, winning 3 out of 5 matches in the group, one of which was at home to Hdl (the other two with Latina and Chiusi). The Valle dei Templi team, at this stage, has an average points of 78.2 assets and 81.6 liabilities, with Lorenzo Ambrosin clocking in with an average of 20.6.
The return of Damiano Pilot to the bench, two months ago, undoubtedly improved the turnover of the blue and white team, which immediately found the only two victories of the “clock” phase (with Bologna and Orzinuovi), useful for guaranteeing participation in the group . The expectations at the beginning of the season were perhaps a little more ambitious, having played in the playoffs last year, but this is another of the many victims of an A2 team with a very high level. The roster includes important players such as Lorenzo Ambrosin, as well as Alessandro Sperduto, the Italian-Argentinian Augustin Fabi and captain Albano Chiarastella, born in 1985, in his eleventh season in Agrigento. Jacob Polakovich and Dwayne Cohill are the two Americans, Emanuele Caiazza and Davide Meluzzi are two very interesting young people.
Nardò and Agrigento are at their fourth seasonal meeting. This year they have already competed in the Super Cup, in September. At the Palamoncada in Porto Empedocle the Granata prevailed 57-64 at the end of a hard-fought and difficult match, the first official match of the season. Then Hdl and Moncada Energy competed again last April 14th in Lecce, for the “clock” phase. Toro did an encore by winning 89-76, led by the two Americans Smith and Stewart jr. in the “Martians” version (57 points in two). Finally, the third act was staged again in Lecce on 5 May, before the survival round, with Agrigento this time the corsair (61-68) after a performance of substance and great application on both fronts. The balance, therefore, is 2-1 for Nardò, as far as it is worth in reference to a match stuck in a very clogged calendar, which affects the teams together with numerous other factors.
The recovery of the first day between Chiusi and Roma, meanwhile, saw the Tuscans prevail 89-76. Now Hdl’s lead is only 2 (they were 4 at the start of the poule, but Umana won the direct clash). In Sicily and beyond the Granata can no longer make mistakes.
Agrigento-Nardò, therefore, will be played on Sunday 26 May at the Palamoncada in Porto Empedocle. Tap-off at 6pm (referee appointments are not yet available).
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