Pallacanestro Trieste secured their first victory of the season in front of 4,609 spectators at the PalaTrieste, defeating Acqua S.Bernardo Cantù 92-72. After three games decided in the final possessions, the Biancorossi claimed their opening two points in the standings through a performance that built momentum in the second quarter and held firm through the second half.
Head coach Francesco Taccetti leaned on a standout scoring display from Lajae Jones, who led with 21 points, alongside 19 points from Langston Galloway. The victory rewarded a collective roster effort that fended off a third-period surge from the visitors.
Building Control in the First Half at PalaTrieste
Cantù opened the scoring through a free throw by Brown, followed by baskets from Olisevičius and Flagg. Trieste answered when Brajković scored from the foul line and followed up with a hook shot off an assist from Ross. Jones ignited the home side’s perimeter attack by sinking back-to-back three-pointers from the corner, following assists from Galloway and Ross to capture the first lead at 9-7. Moretti replied from distance before Galloway attacked the basket and McDermott fed Candussi for an inside score. After Flagg pulled the visitors closer, Galloway grabbed an offensive rebound and converted a three-point play by making the basket and the extra free throw. Christon scored his first points driving to the basket and Candussi made one of two from the foul line. Former Biancorossi player Gražulis scored twice on close-range attempts before Galloway answered with a three-pointer to close the opening period.
Trieste finished the opening quarter ahead 20-18 after Galloway converted a three-point play following an offensive rebound. The hosts shot 40 percent from beyond the arc in the first half compared to Cantù’s 1-of-7 clip, allowing coach Taccetti’s squad to stretch their advantage to 44-38 by halftime.
Fending Off Cantù in the Third Period
Trieste maintained pressure coming out of the locker room, with McDermott finishing a fast-break sequence before Jones connected on a triple to extend the margin to 11 points. Cantù responded aggressively from long range, as Olisevičius and Flagg fired off consecutive three-pointers to narrow the gap to four points at 56-51.
Trieste steadied their offense through Galloway’s shooting from the corner. Deangeli added a three-pointer, and Ross converted a drive to the basket to push the lead to 67-53 heading into the final frame.
Pulling Away in the Fourth Quarter
The hosts sealed the 20-point margin, with the final quarter ending 25-19. Candussi and Ruzzier added contributions to keep the visitors at bay. Brajković and McDermott added late baskets in the paint to fix the final score at 92-72.
Match Statistics and Individual Contributions
Jones paced Trieste with 21 points, while Galloway added 19. Brajković contributed 12 points, Deangeli and Candussi chipped in 10 apiece, McDermott finished with 9, Ross scored 6, and Ruzzier added 5. For Cantù, Flagg scored 21 points, Olisevičius added 20, and Christon contributed 11 in the losing effort.
The officiating crew for the match consisted of Noce, Bartolomeo, and Lanzarini. The quarter-by-quarter progression stood at 20-18, 44-38, 67-53, and the final 92-72.
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