Hdl Nardò Basket writes one of the worst pages in its recent history, losing badly on the Moncada Energy Fortitudo Agrigento pitch in the first return leg of the team’s salvation and significantly complicating the path to defend the A2. It’s difficult to understand what happened in the minds and hands of the Granata team during this trip to the Valley of the Temples, who appeared apathetic from the first possessions and disconnected from the reality of a challenge that required a very different approach. The terrible 51-18 with which we went to the long break It’s a matter for psychology rather than basketball strategists. The Sicilians repeated the success of the first leg, once again defeating Toro with an asphyxiating defense and a dizzying turn of the ball. Salvation seemed to be a goal within the reach of the home team rather than the visiting team, a non-negligible issue and a problem to be resolved in the coming days in the Granata home.
The match. The start was a nightmare, the Granata shooters failed repeatedly (apart from a free throw by Iannuzzi). The Sicilians go 8-1 with minimal effort. From the bench we try to take cover by sending first Ceparano and Nikolic to the parquet, then also Smith. Nardò continues not to score, Agrigento does. We go to 15-1, then Ferrara, Nikolic and Smith return to move the goal from the line. Fortitudo’s aggressive defense and the guests’ lopsided aim, to say the least, direct the match. Hdl’s first field goal comes after 9 minutes with La Torre, it’s almost a horror film. The first quarter ends 25-8.
Sperduto immediately strikes from the perimeter, basket and extra free throw. Moncada flies in front of an inert opponent. The first jolt came with two consecutive centers from Baldasso and Nikolic, a flash in the pan. Ambrosin is incredibly “forgotten” with his feet on the arc, basket and +22 Moncada. It is the synthesis of the challenge. The line between defeat and a fool was largely crossed before halfway through the race. The news is disheartening. Toro collects errors in every area of the pitch. Dalmonte continually shuffles the quintet in search of solutions, but his men in Sicily don’t seem to have come at all. The score at halftime is an apocalyptic 51-18, the rest of the numbers are even worse: 3/15 from 2, 2/14 from 3, 1 point in 2 for the Americans, 18 points in total. A sensationally embarrassing 20 minutes.
Stewart jr. unlocks. at the start of the third quarter, then Iannuzzi also scores. This time it is Agrigento that is left at the post for almost 4 minutes. But the balance on which the match seems to settle now is not of much use to Nardò. Moncada administers with sufficient clarity, after all it is impossible to keep up with the science fiction pace of the first two segments. The usual, infallible, Sperduto still tries to make more money. The air balls of the grenade shooters perfectly describe the condition of a team in serious psychological crisis, emptied, incapable of entering the match. The third quarter ends 69-43.
It was unacceptable to have left the stakes up for grabs to the opponents light years before the siren. A game of this importance can be lost, clearly, it cannot be thrown away by not playing in the first two quarters. In the last Hdl recovers a few points, but it only serves for glory. Pilot decides to interrupt the slow rise of the Granata by calling the time out at 74-59 and 3’29” to play. An ending that increases the regret for the first half of the match. Fortitudo controls without too many worries. The final score is 81-68 , a score that does not fully explain Hdl’s terrible performance.
To complete the black Sunday, the victory of Chiusi who also goes to Rome and joins Toro in the standings. But paradoxically looking at the rankings is now a secondary exercise. What is needed first is a severe and very rapid examination of conscience. As well as a shot of pride, from men and professionals.
