Gianluca Notari
The Coffee No way comes out defeated after a colorless performance at the PalaFlaminio. The Theatines pay dearly for the deficit percentages from beyond the arc (4/27). For the hosts, the top scorer is Ogbeide (16 points topped off with 11 rebounds), the 13 of the USA couple Roderick–Jackson are not enough for the Theatines. The start of the match sees the defenses prevail over the attacks: Masciadri opens the scoring, Bartoli and Roderick score for Chieti but a bomb from Johnson after just over 2 minutes puts the hosts back in the lead (5-4). Masciadri continues to be an unsolved puzzle for the Chieti defense, Ogbeide raises his voice under the planks and so, at the halfway point of the first fraction, the partial is 12-6. Rimini touches +8 with Johnson but Mokambo, thanks to a team reaction led by Jackson, forcefully returns to -2 with 1 minute to go from the end of the quarter (19-17). Masciadri scores with his back to the basket but a bomb from Mastellari’s corner from the siren puts the match back on balance: in the tenth, the partial is 21-20. The start of the quarter is clearly from Romagna: the hosts, thanks to a tap-in by Anumba and two consecutive triples by Landi, get back to a safe distance and force coach Rajola into timeout (29-20 after a little of 2 minutes of play). The landlords also reach a double-digit advantage but the Theatines, driven by the Ancellotti-Mastellari duo, take themselves to -7 3 minutes from the long break (32-25). However, Rivierabanca responds present and, thanks to its US duo, gets back above the double-digit lead (37-25), forcing coach Rajola into the second minute of suspension at 02:32 from the long interval. The hosts also go up +15 with Ogbeide but the Theatine red and white have a proud reaction and so, despite an overall 2/4 of Serpilli and Thioune with the clock stopped, in the twentieth the partial is 40-29.
Rimini continues to exploit the shot from beyond the arc, Mokambo tries and responds with captain Ancellotti: after just over 3 minutes, the partial is 45-33. The defenses increase in intensity, Bedetti and Ogbeide continue their match of great basketball intelligence and Chieti tries to shorten with its two USA players: 2 minutes from the end of the quarter, the partial is 51-42. In the moment of greatest offensive pressure from the red and white guests, the Rimini players, thanks to their physical presence under the planks and a bomb from Scarponi, reach the maximum advantage, reaching the thirtieth at 58-42. Mokambo fails to build anything in the offensive phase, D’Almeida scores in a fade-away and after less than 1 minute of play, coach Rajola asks for a one-minute suspension (60-42). The Theatines seem unable to find the way to the basket, Rimini with D’Almeida over the top +20 6 minutes from the end of the match (64-42). To see the first offensive Theatine ring you have to wait for the sixth minute of the quarter, with Roderick who signs the new -20 (64-44) with the clock stopped. The last minutes are purely academic: at the final siren, the result is 76-57 (chietibasket1974.it).
Rivierabanca Basket Rimini – Caffè Mokambo Chieti Basket 1974 76-57 (21-20; 40-29; 58-42)
Rivierabanca Basket Rimini: Anumba 4, Bedetti 9, Morandotti 0, Sirri 3, Scarponi 5, Ogbeide 16, Masciadri 7, D’Almeida 6, Johnson 15, Meluzzi 0, Tassinari 3, Landi 8.
Mokambo Coffee Chieti Basket 1974: Reale 2, Serpilli 5, Thioune 3, Bartoli 3, Gjorgjevikj 1, Spizzichini 2, Mastellari 7, Roderick 13, Jackson 13, Ancellotti 8.
