Pallacanestro Brescia built a first part of the season above expectations despite taking into account the commitments only over the weekend: from Poeta, Scudetto finalist with Brescia and today at Olimpia Milano, to Cotelli the change did not affect the results. The Biancoblù have only three defeats in 14 matches: against Milan in the Super Cup final, against Trapani and against Virtus Bologna in the championship.
Always away from home and against top-level teams, while at PalaLeonessa they have not been knocked out since the Scudetto finals in June. Which certainly, without Maurice Ndour’s injury in game 1, if not an epilogue, certainly would have had a different outcome.
In Bologna, at the Virtus Arena, returning with a defeat was predictable, even with a Vu fresh from a double round of the EuroLeague: the -10 (86-76) could have even been a little wider, and with that result Brescia lost the top spot, being caught by Virtus, who also has the direct match in their favour.
It is the real first setback after a start experienced between more or less dirty races managed with great experience, and after a strange, dirty and edgy knockout in Trapani which had left almost positive sensations. At the Fair, however, Brescia tried a different type of basketball for the first time: more transition, less reasoning, more gusts and a lot of confidence in the three-point shot, which however it betrayed (7/33).
On the other hand, a stronger Virtus, almost always in control, capable of removing Nikola Ivanovic, decisive in creating play, from the match; and in a “no” evening from the arc (21%) Burnell’s umpteenth great evening and the growth of CJ Massinburg were not enough.
Now the restart passes through a very delicate crossroads: on Sunday at 4pm Venice arrives, third place and at -2, with high ranking balance at stake when there are three matches left until the end of the first leg and the grid of the Final Eight of the Italian Cup.
Top – Amedeo Della Valle averages 17.8 points and 5.1 assists
Flop – Demetre Rivers, positive numbers but still too many ups and downs
