GROSSETO – “An Oscar-worthy ending”. Thus coach Marco Santolamazza commented on the splendid victory of Gea Basketball Grosseto on the Virtus Certaldo pitch (58-72 result) in the final match of the Final Three of the regional division 1 championship. A clear success, which allows the red and white team to close in second position in Tuscany, behind Cus Firenze, which guaranteed passage to Serie C thanks to the daring success at the Palasport in Via Austria (going from -17 to +19 at the siren) and the home victory against Certaldo.
On Saturday evening the red and whites, forced to receive advice from the stands of the suspended Santolamazza and his assistant Silvio Andreozzi, suffered from the good local start, finishing the first ten minutes four points down, but with a partial of 25-11 they gave a shoulder to the match and they finished calmly, despite a comeback attempt by Virtus in the third quarter.
“It was a pleasure to end the season in the best possible way – continued Santolamazza – everyone played with intensity, a lot of determination and we earned credibility and respect with our professionalism, after an incredible final with Cus Firenze, especially for the unfounded accusations that have been made against us. Well done Delfino, Mazzei, Mattia Ricciarelli, who played the last game of his splendid career, and I was happy that Jesus Alvarez also scored. Now I can say it clearly: we are the strongest team in Tuscany. We demonstrated this above all in the playoffs, which ended with a record of eight victories and one defeat, of which seven consecutive to reach victory in group A. In the Certaldo match we saw our value recognized by the home managers and players. Hats off to the whole entourage, to the guys, to the club. We have a valid group from all points of view, with which to build the future. It would be nice every year to combine the well-tested group of veterans with young people who are growing up.”
In short, the coach looks ahead, at the end of an unforgettable season, in which, after a fifth place in the regular season, Furi and his teammates literally exploded in the playoffs, losing the chance to climb to Serie C just for five minutes of the last quarter against Cus Florence, for reasons not only linked to the behavior of the team.
Virtus Certaldo-Gea Grosseto 58-72
GEA GROSSETO: Ricciarelli 7, Furi 14, Mari 14, Ignarra 4, Alvarez Rodriguez 2, Romboli 11, Delfino 11, Simonelli 9, Baccheschi 0, Mazzei 0.
Partials: 20-16, 31-41, 48-50, 58-72
The results of the Regional Division 1 Final Three: Gea Grosseto-Cus Firenze 64-83; Cus Firenze-Virtus Certaldo 65-47; Virtus Certaldo-Gea Grosseto 58-72.
