Pallacanestro Fortitudo Bologna defeated Juve Caserta 83-81 at PalaPiccolo, maintaining their undefeated record in the early season standings. Jamel Morris led all scorers with 29 points for the visitors, securing the hard-fought road victory in the final seconds.
Morris Leads Early Charge Against Caserta
Playing before a packed crowd that included 150 traveling Bologna supporters, Fortitudo faced a Caserta side making its debut under the ProValue banner. Coach Cavina kept faith in the starting five from their opening win against Ruvo di Puglia, deploying Zanelli, Morris, Anumba, Sorokas, and Guariglia. Coach Lardo countered with D’Argenzio, Nobile, Johnson, Henry, and Lo Biondo. Morris immediately set the tone for the visitors by sinking back-to-back three-pointers for an 8-5 lead. Caserta stayed close through Johnson and Henry, while Lo Biondo hit a triple to put the hosts ahead 16-14 before Sarto responded with five consecutive points to swing the advantage back to Bologna.
Bologna Recovers from Deficit to Lead at Halftime
Caserta pressed its advantage in the second period, building a 33-28 lead behind perimeter shooting from Lagana and Hadzic. Facing their largest deficit of the half, Bologna tightened their defensive rotations to spark an 11-0 run. Morris capitalized in transition, supported by efficient playmaking from Zanelli and inside work from Sorokas, helping the visitors claw back to lead 42-38 at halftime.
Bologna Maintains Lead Despite Late Caserta Rally
Flats Service Bologna opened the second half aggressively, stretching their lead to 48-38 within the opening minutes. Caserta refused to fold, as Johnson and Terry carried the home team’s offense to narrow the gap to 56-52. Mazzola added a critical three-pointer for Bologna before fouling out, leaving Morris to push the advantage to 68-59 ahead of the final quarter. The hosts immediately responded with a 7-2 run that electrified the arena and set up a tense finish. D’Argenzio cut the deficit to two points with under two minutes remaining, and the Caserta guard had a final chance to win the game, but his contested three-pointer missed the rim, sealing the victory for Bologna.
Morris and Johnson Lead Scorers in Victory
For Caserta, Johnson led the scoresheet with 24 points, followed by Henry with 20 and D’Argenzio with 10. Lo Biondo contributed 9 points, Hadzic added 6, Sperduto scored 4, and Lagana scored 3. Nobile, Brambilla, and Seck chipped in. On the Bologna side, Morris anchored the offense with 29 points. Sorokas added 14 points, Zanelli contributed 10, Sarto and Guariglia chipped in 8 each, while Mazzola and Anumba added 5 points apiece, and Fantinelli finished with 4.
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