Umana Reyer Venezia – Nutribullet Treviso 91-78

Partials: 21-19; 52-36; 67-48

Umana Reyer: Tessitori 2, Heidegger 6, Casarin 9, De Nicolao 2, Janelidze ne, Kabengele 10, Parks 18, Brooks 4, Simms 7, Wiltjer 24, Vanin ne, Tucker 9. All. Spahija.

Nutribullet: Bowman 15, Zanelli 9, Harrison 11, Torresani, Faggian, Robinson 2, Scandiuzzi ne, Mezzanotte, Allen 20, Camara ne, Olisevicius 17, Paulicap 4. All. Vitucci.

Umana Reyer gets back on track, winning the derby with Nutribullet Treviso 91-78 in a sold out Taliercio for the fifth consecutive match. In a match in which, among others, the contributions of Kabengele (10 points plus 8 rebounds), De Nicolao (8 assists) and Casarin (9 points, 10 evaluation and +13 plus minus) must be recognized in particular, a sharing the MVP award are Wiltjer (24 points and 7 fouls suffered) and Parks (18 points, 8 rebounds and 30 rating). Now, Umana Reyer, certain of the home advantage in the first round of the playoffs, will try to end the season in the best possible way, for a difficult but still possible improvement in fourth place, being able to also be a judge in the race for salvation, facing first Brindisi away (Sunday 28th) and then Pesaro at home, again at 6.15pm.

The orogranatas have to do without Spissu, blocked by an attack of the flu, and start with the quintet of De Nicolao, Tucker, Casarin, Simms and Kabengele. The start of the match is immediately spectacular, with great quality and balance. Treviso starts 4/5 from 3 and coach Spahija calls time out just before mid-quarter at 14-17. Umana Reyer takes advantage of the opportunity to adjust the defense and, continuing to play as a team (7 assists in the first 10′) scores a 7-0 run to make it 21-17 at 8’30”, with the guests finally coming back to score after 4′, closing the first half at 21-19. The inertia, however, remains in the hands of Umana Reyer, in which Parks stands out as the protagonist on both sides: triple, rebounds, immediate breakthrough and assist in the 8-0 which forces the visiting bench to time out at 29-19 at 11’30”, after which Parks picks up where he left off, adding a block and the basket to make it 31-21 at 12’30”. Treviso is forced to time out again at 13’30”, after having scored only 5 points in 9 minutes, but the orogranata still remain in control, reaching 43-25 at 16’30”, before showtime Tucker (assist) -Casarin (dunk) by 45-28 in the 17th minute. Umana Reyer reaches +18 again (50-32 with a triple from Wiltjer for the personal double figure, first of the team), finally Treviso partially edges out, with the score at the long interval reading 52-36.

Nutribullet tries to get closer (52-40) at the start of the second half, but Umana Reyer manages to get back to +18 (58-40) in the 23rd minute, the elasticity continues until mid-quarter (58-46), even if the orogranata always appear in control, despite the high aggressiveness of their opponents. And so, at the end of the period, Umana Reyer also managed to regain their maximum lead, closing the game at 67-48 in the 30th minute. The start of the last quarter is again by the guests, with a 3/3 from the arc that forces coach Spahija to time out at 31’30” at 67-57. Treviso’s partial then continues until 67-59 in the 32nd minute, when Wiltjer takes the team on his shoulders, finding the first two orogranata points in the quarter at the end of an action managed with great patience by the Venetian attack, then, together with Kabengele, he suffers a series of fouls which, from the line, bring Umana Reyer back to +13 (72-59) at 33’30”. Nutribullet tries not to give up, closing the gap on a couple of occasions up to -9, but a super Parks wakes up and, with yet another assist from De Nicolao, scores the 86-74 at 38’30”, with the seal final of 91-78 which comes with a triple from the other great protagonist of the day, Wiltjer.