Virtus lost at home to Infodrive Capo d’Orlando after a vibrant match. First defeat of the season for Recupido’s boys, who surrender in a sprint for 65-68 after recovering a 14-point margin created in the third period by Jasaitis and Leonardo Marini. In Ragusa, the brilliant performances of Brown and Gaetano (both 19 points) were not enough. The guests take the solitary top spot in the standings after four days of the championship.
Virtus suffers from a bit of initial tension and Capo immediately sets the tone with the Marini-Jasaitis combo: 2-8. Coach Recupido’s timeout reverses the trend of the first quarter. Ragusa patiently mends the game and overtakes Brown’s series with five points: 12-11. Vavoli pierces the Bolignano area, even if the defenses prevail over the attacks and the challenge becomes an all-out battle. Jasaitis closes the counterattack which gives Orlandina the first quarter (15-17). On the pitch you score slowly. Sorrentino scores a three, Calvi gets on the scoresheet, but halfway through the half the scoreboard indicates perfect parity: 23-23. The teams almost never get into a rhythm, so it is the plays of the individuals that shift the momentum slightly: Brown still finds space for a lay-up on the counterattack, but the last gasp is for the visitors: 30-32 at 20′.
The start of the third quarter could prove decisive: two triples from Moltrasio and one from Jasaitis inaugurated a very heavy partial of 15-2 for the guests, closed only by Vavoli’s basket. When Ragusa absorbs some energy from the public, Capo d’Orlando is already on +13 (32-45). Yet Virtus proves they still have it: Calvi’s triple keeps Recupido’s team hanging on at 41-50. The defense, however, struggled to manage Jasaitis’ offensive talent. Four points from Gaetano allow us to shorten the final mini-interval: 45-55.
Upon returning to the pitch, however, Recupido’s quintet gave the definitive turn: this time the 15-3 partial rewarded Virtus and the energy of Sorrentino, Calvi and Simon: the Nigerian canceled out a comfortable support attempt by Palermo, then scores -2 from the corner. Gaetano hits from the foul line. A free throw from Sorrentino, however, seals the overtaking (59-58). However, Orlandina is good at not disuniting and reconstructing a new escape attempt: 59-64. The final is incandescent: Brown shortens to -2, Jasaitis comes out of nowhere to make it 63-66, Gaetano shortens to -1. Palermo closes the score from the line, Cioppa’s last desperate attempt misses the target. Vince Capo.
“There isn’t much to reproach the boys – begins coach Recupido after the match -. Even if for the second time this season we suffered on our hands. We have to adapt better to this level of intensity because the championship requires it. We had a few moments of slip-up for which we paid dearly. However, I congratulate Capo d’Orlando, who played a better match than ours. We did well in the comeback: it wasn’t easy at all, because they are an organized team. Jasaitis? In games like this, played to the point, the great players make the difference.”
This is the scoreboard:
Virtus Ragusa-Orlandina Basketball 65-68
The power of Ragusa: Brown 19, Piscetta, Epifani 1, Cioppa, Simon 3, Tumino, Vavoli 8, Sorrentino 8, Gaetano 19, Mirabella ne, Guastella ne, Calvi 7. All.: Recupido
Orlandina Basketball: Agbortabi 6, Moltrasio 8, Mentonelli 1, Mascherpa ne, Favali 11, Palermo 12, Jasaitis 22, Marini L. 8, Marini D., Collovà ne, Gatti. All.: Bolignano
Referees: Barbagallo from Acireale and Puglisi from Acicatena
Partial: 15-17; 30-32; 45-55
Note. Out for five fouls: Marini L. (O)
2023-10-24 07:11:31
#Basketball #defeat #season #Virtus
