2′ reading
03/06/2024 – A good, in many ways excellent Italservice Loreto was not enough to take the victory away from the capital: in the first match of the playoff finals which put promotion to the national Serie B up for grabs, thanks above all to a third quarter with turbo, Virtus Roma wins 79 to 69.
It was played in the bedlam of the PalaTiziano in Rome, in front of 3,600 spectators who set the place on fire and enthralled the home Giallorossi, especially in the most delicate moments of the match. Because Loreto has created several problems for Virtus, of course. Especially in the second quarter.
After a fairly balanced first 10 minutes, which ended with the home team ahead 22 to 18, in the second half coach Foglietti’s quintet put in the turbo, drew a second set of +10 and went into the break ahead by 6 points. Thanks above all to a very inspired Martinez, who creates play and finishes well, and to captain Broglia, who collects rebounds at will under the basket and when there is a need to sink, he does it well. We go into halftime with Italservice Loreto ahead 41 to 35.
The long rest, however, did not do the Marche team any good, as they made too many mistakes upon returning and allowed Virtus to decisively take the lead. The duo Valentini (top scorer at the end of the match, with 22 points overall) and Whelan were unleashed. After a timeout, Loreto gets back on track and thanks to the baskets especially from Maruca in this phase he raises his head, closing the third quarter down by “only” 5 points, 61 to 56. The match will be decided entirely in the last 10 minutes. The first moments are the decisive ones, with Roma proving more precise, both from near and far, and managing to definitively extend the lead: game 1 ends 79 to 69.
But, in fact, it’s only race 1. On Wednesday evening at 9pm at the PalaMegabox in Pesaro there will be the second match, this time with the public all in favor of the yellow and blue (tickets already on sale on the live ticket circuit). Lorenzo Pizza’s club wants to win and bring the series to the “beautiful” match, a possible match scheduled for next Saturday 8 June (9pm), in Rome.
Virtus Roma – Italservice Loreto 79-69
Italservice Loreto: Petrucci 6, Whelan 19, Frisari ne, Casale 1, Valentini 22, Zoffoli 8, Pellegrinotti ne, Columbano ne, Giorgi 2, Rocchi 19, Giacomi, Fokou 2. Coach Tonolli
Virtus Roma: Rupil 2, Lovisotto 3, Cevolini ne, Battisti 6, Cipriani, Maruca 15, Tognacci 6, Broglia 16, Martinez 15, Casoni 6. Coach Foglietti
Partials: 22-18, 15-23, 26-15, 18-13
Progressives: 22-18, 35-41, 61-56, 79-69.
Notes: out for 5 fouls: Fokou (Roma); Casoni (Pesaro)
