Faced with a very deep Reyer Venezia and with one less rotation like that of the Slovakian Mištinová, forced to deal – in the approach to the match – with a physical problem, after having regularly carried out the shooting session in the morning with the comrades, La Molisana Magnolia Campobasso comes out of Taliercio with its head held high, where it creates more than one difficulty, especially during the first and third quarters, for the orogranata.
GREAT DARING Venezia tries to start strong by giving a series of bursts, but the rossoblù manage to respond blow for blow and, indeed, on three occasions after the baskets of Kunaiyi, Quiñonez and Dediċ they also manage to put their heads forward. The lagoon players, however, get back on track and are ahead by four points at the end of the first quarter.
STRATTONE VENETO The rossoblù manage to stay in the lead in the first half of the second quarter (27-24) with a possession gap that remains constant until 31-28. Here, with a 9-0 run, the Venetian team manages to give a first boost to the contest having four possessions of margin to manage (40-28) at the long interval.
ROSSOBLÙ RESILIENCE What might seem like a possible particularly dangerous storm finds the steelflowers leaving the changing rooms ready to promptly get back on top. It is Captain Trimboli in particular who carries the team on his shoulders, supported by Quiñonez who scores the minus five (47-42) before the gap widens again even if Kacerik’s triple is worth the partial success in the quarter for the Magnolias (19- 18).
RESIDUAL ENERGY The length of options between the Venetians compared to the short rotations of the rossoblùs, who are also returning from an intense series of quarterfinals like the one with Geas concluded only 72 hours before this contest, means that Venezia definitively escapes in the last period, arriving to also take seven possessions full of difference until the final 82-63.
COACH’S WORDS For his part, at the end of the contest, Mimmo Sabatelli cannot help but highlight how «I can only be totally proud of this group of girls who, despite one less rotation, an aspect that left us a little taken aback , have become even tighter and, even with not very broad options, have created great difficulties in Venice. It would have taken a miracle, but they have shown once again that they are simply commendable, I think for example of Martina who is taking to the court with a bruise and is doing it to give her all for the team, sacrificing herself to the end. Now we hope to recover Mištinová for Wednesday and we will see what happens at the Arena. Personally, I can only say that I no longer have adjectives to describe my feelings about a group capable of a simply memorable and formidable season.”
ARENA CALLING At this point, for the Magnolias, the prospect is that of game two on Wednesday at the Arena where they will try to do the feat as in the regular season. Repeating that success would mean guaranteeing game three, otherwise it would be the conclusion of a year that will remain in the hearts and memories of rossoblù aficionados for a long time
UMANA REYER VENICE 82 LA MOLISANA MAGNOLIA CAMPOBASSO 63 (19-15, 40-28; 58-47)
VENICE: Villa 6 (3/9, 0/1), Held 7 (1/1, 1/5), Fassina 4 (0/2, 1/3), Kuier 22 (5/7, 4/6), Shepard 17 (8/15); Pan 9 (0/1, 3/5), Berkani 17 (2/3, 3/4), Nicolodi (0/1), Gorini, Logoh, Meldere. Ne: Santucci M. All.: Mazzon.
CAMPOBASSO: Trimboli 14 (3/6, 2/6), Morrison 12 (3/5, 1/2), Kacerik 6 (0/2, 2/5), Dedić 10 (3/8, 1/1), Kunaiyi 15 (5/10); Quiñonez 6 (2/9, 0/4), Giacchetti (0/1), Narvičiūtė, Moffa GR Ne: Mištinová. All.: Sabatelli.
REFEREES: De Biase (Treviso), Nuara (Treviso) and Lanciotti (Fermo). NOTE: unsportsmanlike foul, in Venezia, at 22’08” for Kuier and at 32’09” for Shepard. Free throws: Venezia 8/9; Campobasso 13/23. Rebounds: Venezia 45 (Shepard 11); Campobasso 25 (Kunaiyi 6). Assist: Venezia 22 (Berkani 6); Campobasso 19 (Kunaiyi, Trimboli and Quiñonez 4). Score progression: 9-11 (5′), 27-24 (15′), 45-37 (25′), 72-53 (35′). Maximum advantage: Venezia 21 (82-61); Campobasso 2 (13-15).
