Big challenge at the Soevis Arena for the Knights who host La T Gema Montecatini, second in the standings and among the teams that are openly aiming to move up the category.
Scali, although not in perfect shape, is available, while Montecatini is without Strautmanis due to flu and Bedin due to a serious knee injury.
The match begins with Vedovato’s basket which triggers the Teddy Bear Toss, the throwing of puppets onto the pitch which will then be donated to children’s associations in the area, thanks to the collaboration of Titans Italian Legion; Scali equalizes immediately and these 21 seconds will be the host’s only advantage.
Scali replies with a fade away and Legnano doubles their opponents with Cizauskas from the line and an offensive rebound, with SAE Scientifica Soevis putting a first break thanks to the 4-point game from their Lithuanian, and three other triples again from Cizauskas, Stepanovic and Riva.
At 21-10 Scali takes the shot from the center of the area, but at this point Montecatini tries to regain concentration and scores a couple of baskets with Bargnesi and Vedovato, even if he falls below the double-digit deficit with Burini and Bargnesi’s free throws, which makes it 28-21 in the 10th minute.
Legnano starts off well with Oboe’s basket, but the Tuscan zone annoys the Knights a bit as they lose fluidity in attack.
Acunzo scores from below twice and even if Cizauskas continues his personal show with a new triple of 33-25, you can feel that La T Gema is picking up the trail of Legnano.
Jackson and Stepanovic exchange two heavy shots, but the points from D’Alessandro and Passoni give Montecatini the 36-33 and, shortly after, it will be Passoni who scores the triple for 40-38.
Scali scores the free throw to make it 41-38, but Jackson’s parable makes it 41-41 at half-time.
Cizauskas starts again with the triple, Stapanovic with the jumper, Oboe with the stop and shot, with the Legnano break of 9-0 ending with the number 14 of the Knights setting the 50-41.
The extension is decisive but not decisive, and a double triple from Bargnesi shortens the elastic; Passoni scores the free throw to make it 55-51, but the Cizauskas-Stepanovic axis continues to bring big smiles to the crowd at the Soevis Arena.
The Legnanese +6 of 57-51, after the points from Passoni, Sodero and Bargnesi, will also be the gap in the 30th minute when the score is 60-54.
Sodero replicates the triple for 65-57 and the baskets by Stepanovic and Quinti give Legnano the +14 of 71-54 with about 5′ to go, with a game that now seems to be settled.
Burini and Bargnesi begin to halve the Tuscan deficit, Legnano does his part with a couple of less than perfect clearances, and Jackson’s triple at 77-74 still keeps alive a game that seems practically over.
Legnano does not capitalize on his attack, but Montecatini also loses the ball in the decisive action of the match, and Mastroianni’s free throw at 78-74 explodes the Soevis Arena.
A good match, never closed between two certainly very well prepared teams. A match that Legnano tried to win several times, but that Montecatini was always able to reopen for an all-round show, even if very obviously not in all components of the game.
Full week of work for Legnano who will travel to Sicily next weekend for the match against Agrigento, which will open the final rush of the first round.
Keep reading
