There are defeats that sting the dynamics and others that leave such a sense of disbelief that they are difficult even to talk about. What Pallacanestro Trieste suffered on the Trento parquet was a real sporting suicide which will weigh like a boulder on the rest of the season.
It is almost inexplicable how a team is capable of dominating Dolomiti Energia for three quarters, touching the maximum lead at 66-81 in the thirtieth minutemay then melt like snow in the sun just at the moment of reaping the fruits of an excellent performance up to that point. Basketball is a sport of partials and inertia, but the blackout suffered by the Giulians in the last ten minutes takes on paradoxical contours.
Ahead of 15 Trieste should have made pace management its survival weapon; Instead, once they suffered the first gust of Trentino’s comeback, the team was literally lost surrendering to the vehemence of an opponent who believed in it and deservedly brought home the two points.
Immediately Ruzzier
Mandatory quintet for Israel Gonzalez who entrusts the control room to Ruzzier alongside Brown, Ramsey, Uthoff and Brooks. The home team got off to a decisive start with Steward, Jones and Bayehe’s dunk extending the lead to 6-2. It’s Ruzzier who leads the charge, triple and a couple of assists for the Trieste point guard who triggers Ramsey for the overtaking baskets at 8-9. Back and forth on the parquet, Uthoff’s triple keeps Trieste ahead at 12-14 before the round of changes that revolutionizes the red and white formation. Inside Toscano-Anderson for Brown and Candussi for Brooks then Moretti for Ruzzier and Deangeli for Uthoff. The quintet extends further thanks to Ramsey (16-20 with 8 points from Jahmi’us) and then, after Alridge’s basket, they score an all-Italian 7-0 with Deangeli, Candussi’s triple and Moretti’s free throws which, after Jogela’s final free throws, allows Trieste to close the first quarter ahead 20-27.
Maximum advantage
Dolomiti Energia in difficulty, turnovers by Battle and Steward pave the way for the guests’ first double-digit lead who, with Brown and Candussi, went up to 20-31, forcing Cancellieri to time out. Trento forces threes but can’t find the way to the basket, seven consecutive points from an excellent Deangeli and two free throws from Uthoff make Trieste fly up to 22-40 midway through the second quarter. New time-out Dolomiti Energia, triples from Jones and Aldridge and baskets from Jakimovski and Forray reduce Trentino’s deficit to 32-43: Gonzalez time-out with 2’14” to play. Final with red and white show-time, two triples from Ruzzier and one from Toscano-Anderson send Trieste to the locker rooms at 36-52, with 60% from two, 44% from three and a significant 74 a 37 team rating.
Taken back into control
Two free throws from Brooks for the +20 at 39-59, Trento looks for offensive solutions but only finds continuity from the free throw line, shortening to 47-62. Gonzalez rotates his bench trying to best manage the rotations, gets answers from a team that with the triples of 54-72 signed by Candussi and Ramsey continues to hit from the arc with great precision (11/22 at 27′).
Final comeback
It seemed to end at 66-81 at the end of the third quarter but instead the 10-0 Dolomiti Energia reopened the match less than six minutes from the end. Gonzalez time-out at 76-81, Trieste doesn’t score anymore (7′ without baskets) Forray scores the 80-81 with 3’21 to play. Bombs from Ramsey and Ruzzier (81-87 with 1’21”), Aldridge responds from three and two free throws from Jones seal the score at 86-87 with 33″ to play. Ramesey makes a mistake, Battle overtakes at 89-87 and Brown misses the last shot raising the white flag.
The scoreboard
Dolomiti Energia Trento – Pallacanestro Trieste 89-87 (20-27, 36-52, 66-81)
Dolomiti Energia Trento: Steward 2 (1/2, 0/3), Jones 12 (3/5, 1/3), Jakimovski 12 (5/8, 0/3), Aldridge 18 (3/4, 4/5), Bayehe 11 (3/5, 0/1). Forray 6 (3/3, 0/2), Jogela 4 (1/2, 0/2), Battle 18 (3/4, 2/5), Niang 2 (1/1, 0/1), Hassan 4 (1/2, 0/3). Ne: Airhienbuwa, Fall. All. Chancellors.
Trieste Basketball: Ruzzier 14 (1/2, 4/6), Brown 10 (4/5, 0/6), Ramsey 20 (4/7, 4/6), Uthoff 7 (0/1, 1/2), Brooks 5 (1/2, 0/2). Moretti 5 (0/1, 1/4), Deangeli 11 (4/7, 1/1), Toscano-Anderson 5 (1/2, 1/2), Candussi 10 (2/3, 2/5). Ne: Iannuzzi, Sissoko. All. Gonzalez.
Referees: Grisons, Valzani, Dionisi.
Note: T.l. Tre 20/25, Tri 11/15. Rimb: Tre 35 (Aldridge 8), Tri 35 (Uthoff 7). Ass: Tre 14 (Jones 3), Tri 20 (Toscano-Anderson 7).
