Lorenzo Penna
© photo by Federico Peretti / PB
PREVIEW: The post-season begins and one of the most intriguing and balanced pairings is certainly the one between Tezenis Verona (4th in the Red group) and Wegreenit Urania Milano (5th in the Green group). The Milanese were able to conquer the yellow and blue field with a great comeback just two months ago, but now the balance is different especially given the inclusion of Ivan Buva (25.6 points on average and 10 rebounds) in coach Ramagli’s roster. READ: THE COACHES’ WORDS. Surprisingly, Ramagli recovers Murphy and excludes Devoe from the list on the scoresheet. Two-hour ball 8.30pm at the AGSM-AIM Forum with referees Bartoli, Tirozzi and Bartolini with live text on Pianetabasket.com
1st PERIOD: Starting-five composed of Penna, Udom, Gaijc, Esposito and Buva for the gialloblu, the former Amato and Severini with Potts, Lupusor and Landi for the guests. Tezenis begins by attacking the basket with Buva immediately dominating for the initial 8-0, triples from Amato and Potts put Wegreenit in the game but Esposito and Gajic keep the distance unchanged (18-10 -4’11”). Back to Murphy field for Verona but it is an irrepressible Buva who reaches the maximum advantage in double figures (25-14 -2’04”), the heavy baskets of Potts and Montano halve the delay and in the final stages of the set it is a high-flying play by Murphy to ignite the local audience. A pleasant first period played at a fast pace ends at 32-23 for Scaligera
2nd PERIOD: Match that experiences a phase of balance in the initial part of the half then Landi’s triples bring Urania back into contact and Ramagli has to call a time-out to adjust the defensive balance (37-36 – 5’35”). Buva returns to assert themselves near the basket but a wild Landi scores the first Wegreenit advantage (39-40) when entering the final 4′ of the period, the Veronese reaction is entrusted to the triples of Esposito and Stefanelli which suggest to Villa to stop the game (45-40 -3’24”). Tezenis is in a moment of grace and with Buva and Udom it reaches +10 (50-40) with the Croatian center having scored 18 points, in the game of continuous breaks it is Montano who takes the stage, putting the guests back in the wake (52-50 -47″). Verona fails in its last actions while Severini with a triple from the corner sends the teams to the locker rooms with the result 52-53
3rd PERIOD: It starts with a free throw missed by Amato due to the technical foul received by coach Ramagli upon returning to the locker room, Tezenis constantly looks for Buva who is dominant near the basket and when needed also puts the basket from beyond the arc which recommends Villa the time-out (64-56 -6’44”), for the Croatian center there are 26 points in just over 15 minutes on the parquet. Beverly tries to bring energy to the Wegreenit cause but the yellow and blue have energy in defense and they spread quickly with Murphy who with an overturned basket scored the new maximum advantage with the guests who were forced to stop the game again (76-62 -3’12”). Landi tries to put the team on his shoulders once again, Bonacini helps him but Gajic’s triple seals the 80-70 triple which ends the third quarter
4th PERIOD: Stefanelli on the line for the technical foul on the bench. Urania scores the point that opens the last 10 minutes of the match. Amato, after a poor performance, tries to get into rhythm and Ramagli stops the game, seeing the inertia slip towards Wegreenit (85-77 -7’23”). Buva’s return restores calm among the yellow and blue (91-81 – 4’50”) but Landi is indomitable and even a little lucky with the trajectory of a contested triple which halves the delay then it is Amato who reopens everything (93-91 -2’23”). Stefanelli tries to break it with a triple when there are 35 seconds left (97-93). Beverly is fouled and is glacial (97-95 -33″), Tezenis loses the ball and Udom commits a foul which sends Landi to shoot for the equalizer. : 2/2 and tied at 97 with the last 22″ remaining with Ramagli calling a time-out to launch the last attack. Buva having doubled his lead loses control of possession and the match will be decided in extra time
OVERTIME: After shooting errors by Buva and Penna, Beverly is the one to crush the guest’s lead, Buva makes an impact but Beverly also finds the basket from beyond the three-point arc (99-102 -3’35”). Fatigue on both sides there are many parts, Beverly commits his fifth offensive foul when entering the final 2′ and Buva without the American’s defense has an easy time making an impact at 104 (-1’45”). Amato forces the triple without success, Stefanelli takes advantage of the spaces and with a three-point play ignites the stands (107-104 -1’17”). Lupusor scores the minus -1 from the line but Buva scollina has 40 personal points. Severini with the triple of 109 equal to 33″ from the end then the errors of Buva and Amato to go to the second overtime of an epic game 1
Lupusor approaching for the first points of the second overtime, Tezenis seems on its knees with Landi scoring from three points and then Buva and Penna come out for five fouls and from the line Landi (109-116 -3’36”) extends the lead Urania A basket by Saverio Bartoli then triples by Landi and Esposito for 114-119 entering the final 2′ of the half. Esposito tries to keep the game alive but Landi is a certainty from the line (116-121 – 1’02”), Stefanelli makes a mistake and Montano with two free throws seems to really send the final credits of the match (116-123 -39″). offered a great show
FINAL COMMENT: Two extra times are needed to assign a game 1 which experienced many emotions, Tezenis tries several times to escape even with a double-digit lead thanks to its Buva totem (41 points and 10 rebounds) but in the ranks of Wegreenit there are many protagonists starting with Aristide Landi (32 points with 6/11 from 3P and 9 rebounds), then Beverly (23 and 7 rebounds) and an Amato who dominates in the comeback of the fourth period of play (17 and 8 assists) to turn the corner ‘inertia. In extra time, energy was lacking and Urania’s rotations paid for the away blitz which allowed the Milanese to gain home advantage from the first act of a series that promises to be spectacular
