Bama Altopascio – Valdera Basketball 88-82 (20-21; 51-44; 75-58; 88-82)
BAMA: Doveri 5, Pinzani, Pellegrini 2, Creati F. 5, Bini Enabulele 8, Creati M. 9, Salazar 23, Lorenzi 24, Arrabito 9, Del Frate 3. All. Joints
VALDERA: Cartacci 6, Coupons 8, Gambini 7, Rubini C. 18, Rubini M. 9, Lazzeri 6, Buzzo 9, Bicchierini, Pugliesi, Duties 19. All. Scocchera.
Referees: Magazzini and Baldini.
The Bama flies high on the problems of this last period and wins two heavy points against a good Valdera. A match characterized by cheerful, at times euphoric defenses, and from a soporific rhythm for over half the race. The rosablu have adapted to the opponent’s control game without biting in defense, playing their game for long stretches. Race faced, to be honest, without Chiarugi (he will have some for a while), with Filippo Creati in the field with a shoulder brace, in very bad conditions, and with Lorenzi, also with a brace, struggling with a strain that forced him to the pits this week.
It was the latter who marked the match, sometimes limping, with triples as heavy as cadmium, seasoned with designer baskets near the iron. Not to mention the basket of +7 (86-79) from 8 meters at the end, 56 ″ from the siren, which gave breath to the highlands when some ghosts began to hover on the ceiling of the PalaBridge. Together with Lorenzi an excellent Salazar, with deadly baskets in key moments, and a surgical Arrabito. The others also did well with Emanuele Bini who started in trouble but growing during the match, Marco Creati super in defense, as well as Doveri, Pinzani and Pellegrini.
Particular mention goes to Del Frate, who joined the group a month late, who just entered he placed a heavy triple near the interval. After a first quarter that sees soft defenses like mozzarella and Samuele Doveri di Valdera rage, the Bama begins to melt, resulting in some plays as well, goes in double figures several times but the opponents are always good at cutting back. 51-44 at the interval and third fraction where the blue-and-white car raises the revs, reaching +17.
Valdera is on the ropes, Buzzo gets expelled for blatant protests, gives up the ankle of the former Cedolini, everything seems to be easy. But in basketball it takes very little to change the inertia. Coach Scocchera asks for a time out and places a 2-3 zone, very badly attacked by the altopascesi, which allows a slow but constant guest recovery, with the Rubini brothers in evidence. It is precisely a triple from Rubini to give -4 to his team at -1’19. Usual bungled pink blue attack, Lorenzi has the ball in his hand with a man on, gets up from 8 meters and puts the asteroid of near victory. On the opposite side Gambini makes a mistake and commits an unsportsmanlike foul of frustration. Game, set and match.
