Pallacanestro Varese secured its second trophy within a single week by overcoming a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat BC Roma 96-92 in the Trofeo Basilicata final at PalaSassi in Matera. Following an earlier victory at the Valtellina Summer League, head coach Giannis Kastritis guided his squad to their fourth preseason win despite playing without Amedeo Della Valle and Keifer Hale.
How BC Roma Built a First-Half Advantage
BC Roma established control early through the playmaking of Nico Mannion, racing out to a 14-4 lead within the opening five minutes. Varese struggled from beyond the arc in the early going, finishing the night with 9 made three-pointers out of 31 attempts.
The Second-Half Resurgence and Final-Minute Turnaround
Varese altered its attitude after the break, raising its intensity and steadily chipping away at the deficit behind contributions from Assui Kangur and Gora Kamagate. By the end of the third period, Roma’s lead had shrunk to 72-64. The comeback materialized in the final minutes when David Duke Jr. drained a three-pointer to claim Varese’s first lead at 88-86. Down the stretch, Roby hit from distance, Stefan Nikolić converted a slam dunk, and Alviti secured the result from the free-throw line.
Standout Statistical Performances
Davide Alviti recorded 22 points and 5 rebounds, shooting 4-for-4 on two-pointers, 2-for-10 from deep, and 8-for-9 on free throws. David Duke Jr. added 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, accumulating a 34 evaluation score while converting 11 of 14 attempts from the charity stripe. For BC Roma, Nico Mannion scored 13 points.
Roster Management and Preseason Schedule
The coaching staff opted to rest Keifer Hale as part of a pre-arranged physical workload management program agreed upon by the medical and technical staff, while Amedeo Della Valle also sat out the contest. Team captain Matteo Librizzi hoisted the trophy following the final whistle. Varese will play its final preseason test against Maxima Roma on Saturday, September 19, at 18:30 local time at the Itelyum Arena before opening its Serie A campaign on Sunday, September 27, at 19:00 against Virtus Bologna at Masnago.
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