Virtus Matera fell 68-74 to league leaders Pallacanestro Recanati at the PalaSassi, absorbing their fourth defeat in Serie B Interregionale action, SassiLive reported. The loss marks the team’s third straight setback on their home floor.
Offensive Struggles and Roster Changes
The home side introduced Brown to the roster in place of Balciunas, but the personnel shift failed to spark the group or alter their trajectory. Matera started aggressively, establishing a 12-2 advantage early in the contest. However, that opening surge proved short-lived as the visitors responded with perimeter shooting.
Recanati Perimeter Shooting Turns the Tide
Pozzetti, Centanni, and Guerra fueled Recanati’s comeback with deep-range baskets, narrowing the gap before Matera claimed a 24-21 edge at the end of the opening quarter. The second period remained tight until Recanati moved ahead 31-30. Matera answered with a 6-0 run to regain control at 36-31, but the visitors closed the first half with a 9-0 burst to take a 46-41 lead into halftime.
Fourth-Quarter Drought Seals the Outcome
Matera battled back in the third quarter, using a pair of three-pointers from Contini alongside contributions from Soliani and Brown to level the score at 55-55 heading into the final frame. The offense stalled in the fourth period, yielding just a single basket over the opening six minutes. Recanati capitalized with another 9-0 run to build a 66-57 advantage. Soliani attempted a late rally with an athletic drive and a three-pointer to close the margin to 70-68 with 22 seconds remaining, but the visitors secured the victory.
Match Statistics and Lineups
Soliani led Virtus Matera with 19 points, while Ragusa added 10. For Pallacanestro Recanati, Pozzetti paced all scorers with 20 points, supported by Centanni with 16 and Guerra with 15.
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