Thanks to a great Brandon Taylor, author of 26 points, Unahotels Reggio Emilia wins the decisive challenge against the Hungarians of Egis Kormend for 79-88 and they pass the first round in the FIBA Europe Cup 2021. Now the club coached by Antimo Martino is expected in the round of 16, which will be played on March 23 in a bubble still to be established, which will also see the dispute of the quarterfinals for the winning teams. Also good Josh Bostic, with 15 points, Tomas Kyzlink, with 13, and Filippo Baldi Rossi, with 12. The duo is not enough for the Magyars Anthony Ireland-Balint Mocsan, with 22 and 21 points respectively.
Yet the beginning of the game seems to say something completely different from what then becomes its continuation. From 6-8 that emerged in the first three minutes, in fact, target shooting arrives from beyond the arc of Baldi Rossi, Taylor and Kyzlink. In general, it is all Reggio Emilia that constantly rages on the Hungarian formation, which cannot contain the initiatives of the red and white and finds no references in attack. The result is that, with Candi good at joining the party too, the first quarter ends 12-34.
That something needs to be reviewed in terms of concentration, however, is shown by the immediate partial of Egis, an 11-0 with a lot of Thames-Ireland duo that brings hope back among the Hungarians. When the gap becomes 10 points (27-37) Martino decides for the time out, which does not have the desired effects simply because Ireland is replaced by Thomas in keeping the Egis afloat. At half-time the score is 43-50.
Durazi still approaches the Hungarians (45-50), but after Bostic’s response, the percentages drop on both fronts. The Unahotels is taken back first, which with a good third period of its number 5 manages to bring it back to around ten points. This continuous elastic around the aforementioned altitude goes on for all the remaining time of the fourth, with the Hungarians relying heavily on Mocsan’s shot, until Ireland’s 2/2 from the foul line which leads to the last 10 ‘on 61-67.
Egis starts very well, so much so that Ferencz’s triple brings him back to -2 (66-68) with 7’45 ”to play. The unsportsmanlike Toth shortly after, however, turns on Brandon Taylor: 1/2, triple, two free to repel any Hungarian assault. The play from Reggio does a bit of everything on the pitch, even stopping Ireland at 72-80 with 3’07 ”from the end. And it is Ireland that is the last to surrender, until his team returns to -5 (79-84); it is useless, because two baskets from Candi and again Taylor fix the result on the final 79-88.
EGIS KORMEND-UNAHOTELS REGGIO EMILIA 79-88 (12-34, 43-50, 61-67)
KORMEND – Takacs, Taylor * 8, Mosely, Durazi * 6, Thames * 10, Ireland 22, Toth 6, Ferencz 6, Balogh ne, Nemeth *, Russian, Mocsan * 21. All. Mravljak
REGGIO EMILIA – Sutton * 6, Koponen 3, Bostic * 15, Candi 10, Baldi Rossi * 12, Porfilio ne, Taylor * 26, Giannini ne, Bonacini, Diouf 3, Kyzlink * 13. All. Martino
Credit: Ciamillo
