The score (66-76) is deceptive: the Geneva Lions made life difficult for Massagno who equalized only 1’47” from the end before widening the gap on free throws and 3 point baskets.
The Geneva Lions dominated their opponents in southern Ticino for three-quarters of the match before dropping slightly in the fourth quarter and even losing their footing in the last two minutes. Only the very beginning of the match seemed difficult for them: after five minutes, they were trailing 4-11. They then clearly took the upper hand in the next five (15-3) to lead by five points at the end of the first quarter. In the three hundred seconds that followed, Lions fans seemed to be living a dream with an eleven-point lead. On the one hand, they captured all the rebounds and closed the racket perfectly to force their opponents to shoot from afar with very relative success. On the other, these were then awkward on their free throws.
After a downtime, however, the formation of Gubitosa found colors to return to the game thanks in particular to the Mladjan brothers (nine points between them).
11 points ahead for the Lions with 8’32” remaining
Leading by two points at half-time, Alain Attalah’s players nevertheless widened the gap during the third quarter to lead 50-42 after thirty minutes of play and even 55-44 at eight minutes thirty two seconds from the start. end. Only the more the match progressed, the more the Geneva felines lost ground. From 60-51 in the 35th minute, the score rose to 67-64 in the 38th minute, with Isaiah Williams securing the equalizer one minute and forty-seven seconds from the siren.
Isaiah Williams: 3 3-pointers in 3 minutes
The American shooting guard (seventeen points) showed remarkable skill at the end of the game (three three-point baskets in less than three minutes) to allow Massagno to pick up the score and then go ahead with three baskets three-pointers on his last three attempts. And as Marko Mladjan (twenty-two points) gained momentum during the game, the Luganese were able to force the decision when the basketball players from Grand-Saconnex gave up.
Thus, the logic was respected in view of the forces present. But this defeat and especially this difference of ten points does not do justice to the remarkable performance of the Lions who commanded respect on Saturday at the end of the afternoon on the Rivera Vaudoise.
“A defeat that hurts!” Alain Attalah
The disappointment was immense in the camp of the vanquished. Coach Alain Attalah seemed particularly distressed at the end of the match. To hear him, the drop in concentration was fatal to his team and we must “learn from this match.”
“Our best game this season” Bryan Colon
For their captain, it is not enough to play thirty-eight minutes, if we give in during the last two. However, he remains very optimistic for the rest and the end of the season, believing that this match constitutes “a good basis for work”.
Sefolosha against the Mladjan brothers
In search of his first trophy, Massagno has the opportunity to fight for the SBL Cup on Sunday. The leaders of the Swiss Basketball League will face the Vevey Riviera Lakers with Thabo Sefolosha who won over Union Neuchâtel (75-60) in the second semi-final…
This article was published automatically, updated, modified and subsequently supplemented by the editorial staff. Source: ats.
