Edilnol’s dream of redemption vanishes at the last shot: the derby is from Casale

Edilnol’s hope of starting the turning point of his season in Casale went out on the iron in Hasbrouck’s last pitch. The final 65-62 rewards the comeback of a Novipiù good at hiding all the troubles (outside Formenti, Fabio Valentini in half service, Martinoni injured during the match in progress) and to recover from a maximum gap of -11, the result of an excellent first half Red Blue. But in the final nervous as a derby the aim was missing: before the triple of the possible wrong draw by Hasbrouck there were three errors in a row with Bertetti and Morgillo, while in the other half it was Dalton Pepper, who against Biella was relegated to June when he played in Rieti, to put the decisive points in the basket. For Andrea Zanchi the best news is that, in the first time in full force, the team was able to compete to the end, with the two Americans as protagonists and a Davis finally found.

There is precisely Hasbrouck in the Edilnol starting quintet to keep company with Soviero, Pollone, Davis and Morgillo. Novipiù responds with Luca Valentini (with his brother Fabio confined to the bench with a knee brace), Pepper, Sarto, Martinoni and Okeke. The first turns of the clock make Zanchi and the Barlera smile away also because, finally, they are made in the USA: first the triple from Hasbrouck, then the free from Davis who closes his sequence with a steal and an assist adding the basket of 4 -10. Casale is only Martinoni with the rossoblù defense who manages to harness Sarto and Pepper. Fouls also get the home team in trouble: Luca Valentini and Okeke soon arrive at two while the bench from Biella makes a relay to keep up the pace. So, from 10-13, only Edilnol scores: a triple by Pollone, two free by Bertetti and at the first mini-interval we arrive at 10-18.

At the resumption of the game again Davis puts his signature: basket, do it immediately (Valentini’s third) and play three for the +11. But the derby road is paved with pitfalls, like Alvise Sarto’s very soft right hand: it unlocks and scores five in a row to bring Novipiù back into contact. Instead Biella has its first offensive blackout, unblocked by the return of Alessandro Morgillo: he makes Okeke commit the third foul, adds a three-player game in the next action and the oxygen returns that seemed to thin out after the three turnovers in a row. usually generous Soviero. But at 3’17 ” from the halfway point, Zanchi calls time out after another tear by Sarto and Pepper who brings the home team back to -2 at 23-25. Coach Valentini takes advantage of it to call the zone defense and the idea is bad: Hasbrouck punishes her first in penetration and then from the arc and on the new +7 guest it is the home bench to call the minute of suspension. But Edilnol continues to be solid even in rebounds, a fundamental in which it was often missed. It is from an action with three shots that Morgillo’s +9 arrives, it is from a tap in by Bianchi on a Davis error that the fourth ends at 25-34.

At the restart, a triple from Sarto to which Hasbrouck replies is an illusion: it will be ten minutes of nervousness and errors, like a true low-ranking derby. Casale confronts them with an area that he will hardly give up that has the advantage of blurring the sight of the Edilnol attack. In fact, slowly comes the comeback. The hands to propitiate it are those of Leonardo Okeke, last year in C Gold in Borgomanero and today able to sweep the boards and capture volleys of rebounds in A2. The free throwers of 38-41 are also his, with Biella feeling the breath on his neck and relying on two Davis baskets in a row on as many good attacks in the area. At the end of the fourth, everything happens: a blow to the ankle cuts off Martinoni, a technician to Fabio Valentini, who is fielded with patches, which allows the guests to stay at +3 thanks to the foul line. Then comes the chance of a draw with a foul by Bertetti who gives three free throws to the inconsistent Hill-Mais. Two enter and the last ten minutes start at 47-48.

Overtaking is in the air and Fabio Valentini signs it from the arch. It is the first of the game but it lasts a blink of an eye, the time for Hasbrouck to go beyond and restore the distance from over 6.75. To break the balance try Pollone: ​​triple, do it immediately but wrong free throw (a constant of his start of the season). It is +4 but Biella no longer runs away. Pepper lights up after a colorless match and marks the new change of owner of the match, immediately canceled by Davis. Infante eats two open triples, but Bianchi does not and 57-59 gives hopes back to the rossoblùs. Instead Sarto dall’arco (6/7 for him: the rossoblù find an infallible opponent every time) and Pepper make Hasbrouck’s blaze useless. The 64-62, however, belongs to Okeke in an action in which he misses twice and captures as many offensive rebounds. Bertetti makes 0/2 from the arc, Pepper only one from the line and the last action for Edilnol is at 65-62. The ball is for Hasbrouck but the iron decides that the effort to be rewarded is that of Novipiù.

Novipiù Monferrato-Edilnol Biella 65-62 Novipiù Monferrato-Edilnol Biella 65-62

Novipiù: L. Valentini 2, Sarto 22, Pepper 9, Martinoni 10, Okeke 13, F. Valentini 5, Trunic, Leggio, Hill-Mais 2, Lomele, Sirchia, Formenti ne. Coach: A. Valentini.

Edilnol: Soviero 2, Hasbrouck 19, Pollone 8, Davis 16, Morgillo 8, Bianchi 5, Bertetti 2, Vincini, Infante 2, Porfilio ne, Loro ne. Coach: Zanchi.

Partial: 10-18, 15-16, 22-14, 18-14