Pallacanestro Molinella secured its first victory of the 2024–25 Serie C basketball season by defeating Pallacanestro Titano 75–62, Emilia Romagna Sport reported. The home side controlled the tempo for most of the contest at Molinella, overcoming a tough San Marino squad that played with a severely limited rotation.
Early Control and First-Half Momentum
Molinella established an early double-digit lead before San Marino chipped away to narrow the gap to 19–14 at the end of the first quarter, according to coverage from San Marino RTV. The visitors found an equalizer at 24–24, but Molinella manufactured another scoring run in the final three minutes of the half to build a 40–30 advantage by intermission. The home team leaned on the offensive production of Marchi and the returning Ben Salem, who finished with 11 points, while coach Amadori deployed a zone defense that disrupted Molinella’s rhythm early on.
Titans’ Second-Half Rallies Fall Short
San Marino continually threatened in the second half despite operating with just a seven-man rotation that eventually forced Renzi out of the contest and required heavy minutes from Fusco. Rinaldi pulled the Titans within four points during the third quarter, but Molinella answered with a decisive 9–0 run to push the margin to 58–45 heading into the final period. San Marino slipped to a 14-point deficit in the fourth before launching one final charge, capped by a three-pointer from Fusco that sliced the margin to 64–60 with 4 minutes and 18 seconds remaining. Fusco recorded a game-high double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds alongside Rinaldi’s 20 points, but Molinella secured the 75–62 final score through late execution from Carella, Marchi, and Tognon.
Roster Impact and Defensive Intensity
The victory demonstrated a noticeable shift in defensive intensity and competitive fire for Molinella following a season-opening loss in Scandiano. Contributors like Tanchella, Betti, and Folesani—who posted 10 points and 10 rebounds—clamped down defensively to hold a San Marino side to 62 points after the Titans scored 80 in their previous outing. The win came with a cost for Molinella, as captain Manny Naldi exited the game early due to a knee injury.
Next Fixtures in Serie C
Pallacanestro Titano returns to action next Saturday at the Multieventi Sport Domus to face 4 Torri Ferrara. Pallacanestro Molinella enters a weekend break before traveling to face Vis Persiceto on Sunday, October 18, at San Giovanni in Persiceto.
