Trapani was the favorite and won game 1 but Fortitudo was worth more than the final which read 85-73. Losing Pietro Aradori immediately due to a problem to the Achilles tendon and witnessing the show of a player like JD Notae scoring 33 points alone in the first half of the match are two truly unforeseeable events. It’s clear that Effe needs something more to try to win this final for promotion but fate will not always smile so brazenly at the Sicilians and by reorganizing themselves the Bolognese will have still the possibility to be protagonists.
The match
Ready to go and for three minutes Fortitudo doesn’t understand anything, ends up 9-0 down and also loses Aradori due to injury. With determination, however, the blue and whites raised their heads again and were led by Fantinelli they bring themselves back to -3 with a bomb from Panni. It’s a shame that the turnovers allowed Trapani to get back ahead and reach the first interval at 18-12. In the first three minutes of the second quarter the world turns upside down and only Fortitudo marks who arrives ahead until 18-22 with a triple from Conti. At that point, however, Notae’s solitary show begins as he puts everything into the white and blue basket until 32-22 which overturns the inertia. Ogden tries to limit the damage but halfway through the scoreboard reads 42-31 with 33 points scored by the Sicilian number 1 alone: incredible.
+16 and shock
Upon returning to the field, the usual unstoppable American winger brings Trapani to +16 but Freeman and Ogden are not up for it and try to shake the Effe which finally tries to lock down his defense but is unable to get back under the double-digit deficit. The goal was achieved at the end of the third quarter thanks to triples from Bolpin and Conti which shattered some Sicilian certainties and led to -5, good result canceled out by the triple conceded at the end of the period for 62-54. A silly unsportsmanlike foul by Giuri shortly afterwards gives the home team a new +10, an important advantage also on a psychological level. Generous but now in reserve of physical strength and mental, the Effe sees Trapani extending up to +17, led by Alibegovic or the son of the vice president of Fortitudo. Jokes of a fate that no longer offers the blue and whites any more chances. Tests are scheduled in the next few hours to understand the extent of the Aradori problem but Monday evening at 9pm we will immediately return to the field for game 2, again in Sicily: Fortitudo will have to grit their teeth to immediately even the score.
Scoreboard
Trapani Shark-Fortitudo Flats Service Bologna 85-73
Partials: 18-12; 42-31; 62-54
TRAPANI: Notae 39, Horton 2, Alibegovic 19, Imbrò 7, Mian, Pugliatti, Mollura, Mobio 2, Gentile 2, Marini 6, Pullazi 8. All: Diana
FORTITUDE: Sergio, Aradori, Conti 7, Bolpin 11, Panni 9, Kuznetsov ne, Fantinelli 9, Giuri 2, Freeman 15, Ogden 18, Morgillo 2. All: Caja
Referees: Maschio, Ursi, Marzulli
Shots from the field: Tr 29/54 (10/24 threes), Bo 25/54 (9/21 threes)
Free throws: Tr 17/19, Bo 14/17
Rebounds: Tr 27, Bo 26
Assists: Tr 18, Bo 18
