Bourg en Bresse (France), 17 January 2023 – All’equinox of the French city Umana Reyer Venezia falls against Mincidelice hosts JL Bourg en Bresse, 86-79 the final result.
The Umana Reyer thus knows the second defeat against the French team going down 2-0 in direct matches (in the first leg it was 73-79) with Bourg staying ahead of everyone with record 8-3 in Group A in the short standings, while Venice remains firm at 6-5.
What can I say… a 20-5 break from the French team decides the match from 62-62 to 82-67 in about 6′, a clear defeat for Reyer more than the final result says with the guests to mend in the final of pure pride. She is a Human Reyer too distant from Bourg in terms of physicality and intensity both on the outside (hugely suffered both James Palmer Jr. and Jordan Floyd, without forgetting Hugo Benitez) and in terms of long shots and rebounds (the fight under the scoreboards reads 39-23!).
Paid without a doubt evening NO by Mitchell Watthighly conditioned by the fouls committed, and by not having a third pivot, with coach Walter De Raffaele as long fallback Matteo Chillo and, with all the good and due respect, Reyer can’t afford to keep that situation. He will absolutely have to return to the market after the termination with Yankuba Sima which took place a week ago (always if he wants to make his way in the continental competition…).
Ah, there would also be the problem Allerik Freemanused scarcely 10′ by coach De Raffaele without signs of awakening, coming off the bench, and frankly that’s not why he was hired.
For the rest, Venice is currently unable to take a complete step forward after Sunday’s defeat in Bologna at the Segafredo Arena. A victory will be necessary and obligatory against former Victor Sanders’ Cluj-Napoca next week.
But first, on Sunday 22 January, Trieste will have to face off at the Palasport Taliercio for the 1st return day of the LBA championship (deux ball at 5 pm).
record
Start of the match with Bourg who takes 7-0 also due to the two fouls by Watt, Reyer Venezia who however responds promptly thanks to a triple by Bramos and a more than efficient Tessitori placing a 0-14 break (7-14 on 4 ′), but Julien unlocks the French, it’s 10-14 in the 5th minute, TV time-out. The good momentum of the French shooters continues, leading JL Bourg forward, 15-14 in the 6th minute, De Raffaele time-out. Willis is in a good evening, he proves it by placing a disruptive dunk, but Bourg keeps his head ahead with Pelos for 24-21 before De Nicolao’s triple to close the first quarter on 24-24.
Second half of the game, Venice struggles under the basket with Pelos and Brimah to make pots and lids for Bourg (32-26 in the 12th minute), and moreover Watt is called for the third foul, Parks’ basket brings Reyer back under of 4, it’s 32-28 in the 14th minute, time-out by coach Fauhoux. Tessitori scores Umana -2, but the hosts with the physicality of his wingers Floyd and Palmer place an important break of 11-2 for 43-32 making Venice suffer too much under-basket, De Raffaele is time-out on 43 -32 after 18′. Bramos’ triple shakes Reyer who then with Willis and Spissu’s basket closes the gap on 43-38 at the end of the first half.
Second half and Reyer recovers completely, Watt pays attention under the basket and in the details not from statistics, Granger and Spissu strike from the arc and it’s 45-51 Venice in the 24th minute, JL Bourg time-out. Palmer is hot for the French team, Watt commits the 4th foul and Bourg hangs up Venice, it’s 51-51 after 26′, De Raffaele time-out. Floyd puts turnover for Bourg, but the gold-grenade holds with Granger and Willis, it’s 60-57 after three quarters of the game.
Last half of the game: Parks and Freeman bring the new draw to Reyer at 62-62 with 8’25” to go, but Bourg with a 7-0 break propitiated by his full backs Benitez and Floyd takes the lead to 69-62 at 6’51” from the end, De Raffaele time-out. JL Bourg finally escapes led by Jordan Floyd, Hugo Benitez makes it touch +13 at 4’40” (77-64), but the maximum French advantage comes on Mike’s first points with a triple for 82-67 to 2 ’36” from the end, +15. Venice, however, does not throw in the towel and wants to play until the end: with a break of 0-7 Reyer gnaws points after points up to 82-74 with 1’01” to go; Parks puts -6 at 25″ and tries not to give up with the systematic foul, Palmer and Floyd from the line are infallible and Venice loses at the end 86-79.
Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse vs Umana Reyer Venezia 86-79
Partial: 24-24; 19-14; 17-19; 26-22.
Progression: 24-24; 43-38; 60-57; 86-79
report cards
Mark Often 5.5: from the arc he lights up with a dropper, yes 6 assists, but that turnover for accompanied in the last minute certifies a difficult match, Palmer and Floyd suffer too much.
Amedeo Tessitori 6: due to Watt’s fouls, he already enters the first quarter scoring 7 points in the 1st quarter, then he has a clear decline in the second half of the match, suffering blows from all sides in the counter strikes against the opponent’s physicality.
Jordan Parks 6: struggles to light up in the first half, 50% of the overall shot without shining too much, suffers too much rebounding and not giving any help.
Allerik Freeman 5: plays 11′ starting from the bench, 2/4 shooting, a few flashes ahead in the midst of too many defensive jams. This is not what is expected of him, absolutely.
Michael Bramos 6: he shows himself more defensively than in front, 3 rebounds and 3 recoveries of attention, but in the long run the fatigue makes itself felt for Harper Woods’ “Greek”.
Riccardo Moraschini SV: 2’40” to taste the parquet again after the back problems that tormented him.
Andrea De Nicolao 5.5: the triple to close the first quarter only ring of the evening, the defense suffers too much in the pick & roll against Hugo Benitez.
Jayson Granger 7: defensively he does quite well even if the Palmer & Floyd couple suffers at certain moments too. Up front he tries to help as much as he can with 12 points and 3 steals for an ultimately positive evaluation thanks also to 6 fouls suffered.
Matthew Chillo 5: fielded as a third pivot out of necessity, he suffers like a damn under-basket, he can be completely reviewed when shooting. 7′ insufficient.
Derek Willis 6,5: 9 points in a super 1st quarter, 23 overall. Against Pierre Pelos it is a duel of shots and baskets that the American from Kentucky always tries to bring to his side, his dunk in transition to full court in the first quarter is splendid. In the end he too, like others, brings a meager haul of rebounds.
Mitchell Watt 4,5: terrible start in the first possessions with already two fouls spent in less than 2′, the third foul is spent after less than 4′ of the game. In the end he is totally conditioned by the penalties committed, he was a problem throughout the game in Venice against Bourg’s long levers and physicality.
Post game
The statements of coach Walter De Raffaele.
“First of all, congratulations to Bourg who deserved the victory. The difference in energy was crucial, we came to this match from a really tough match played 48 hours ago. As long as we had the energy and lucidity to carry out what we had prepared, we were competitive in every situation.
We shared the ball well with 17 team assists, building good shots, but missing many open shots.
In the last part of the match, the lack of energy led to less attention to detail, even on turnovers and loose balls, and as a result we suffered one-on-ones. But we fought, we have to think about recovering energy and players, off and on the pitch. We are now working to prepare for the next match.”
