Yesterday afternoon Unieuro got on the bus that takes them to Trieste to try to extend the series and not end their memorable and positive season here. After having witnessed the first two episodes, it is clear to everyone that Forlì must inevitably raise the level of its game, both in defense and in attack to try to surprise coach Jamion Christian’s team. To return to the field on Sunday for game 4, we would also need ‘help’ from our opponents who at times appeared unstoppable in game 1 and game 2, especially in the three-point shot: suffice it to say that Filloy and his teammates have 5 wins in the playoffs and none defeat despite having played four away games. Yet they haven’t always played like this… Can Forlì find them against a little more humane team?
Some examples. In the series won 3-0 against a Torino team that had the home advantage but was in a bit of a crisis after four defeats in a row, the Giulians finished game 1 with 33% from beyond the arc, game 2 with an excellent 42% and game 3 at home with a normal 25%. The up-and-down season of the Trieste team shows that Unieuro’s opponent is not necessarily unbeatable or nearly as unbeatable as it seemed at the Palafiera. Of the six games lost in the Watch phase, for example, two came at the Allianz Dome which hosts Unieuro tonight: on 10 February 85-88 against Luiss Roma and on 14 April 84-86 against Urania Milano. Against the Romans (who are now at great risk of relegation) the Giulians shot 9/29 from three which is equivalent to 31% (Brooks 1/5 and Ruzzier 0/3), while against the Milanese they did worse, finishing with 8/28 for 29% (Reyes 2/6 and Ruzzier 2/5).
It must be said that Trieste had to give up its scorer and rebounder Justin Reyes for ten games between the middle of the second half of the second round and the second half of the clock, after he tore his meniscus on 12 January in the defeat in the derby in Udine, but even after the After his return, things didn’t immediately go smoothly for the team. Trieste ended the Watch with four victories and six defeats – a total score of 18-14 – and among the most unexpected setbacks it should also be noted that in Latina on 3 March: 70-67 where the Giulians shot 8/37 from three (21%) with Brooks finishing with 0/9 and Filloy with 3/13. From the series: every now and then bad shooting days also happen to the Trieste army. The teams that beat Trieste in the scheduled stage were all defeated by Forlì. And even today’s Unieuro, even without Allen, could be superior to him.
It seems prehistoric to remember that on April 21st (the very day of Kadeem’s injury), after all those defeats, the Giulians seemed destined to finish sixth in the Red group: in that case they would have ended up in the Silver table… They avoided that placing with their first trumpet blast, still away: in Rieti, one of the hottest and most difficult pitches together with Palafiera.
Even if the latest victories have certainly ignited the enthusiasm of a Trieste which is a place of great tradition and built to return to A1 where it played for several consecutive seasons, all that remains is to hope to see something of the ancient problems (and not even too…). Maybe too much confidence, the underestimation of an opponent considered weaker, or simply a bad evening, could block Trieste, at least for one match. Assuming and not granting that the rivals are not the unstoppable ones in games 1 and 2, it remains essential for Unieuro to raise the quality and effectiveness of their game, trying to stay in the game until the end.
