The Game: A Tale of Two Halves

What began as a controlled Varese performance devolved into a nail-biter by the final buzzer, as Cremona’s relentless second-half pressure nearly erased a 16-point deficit. The hosts led 45-31 at halftime, but a 27-13 third-quarter run—spearheaded by Payton Willis and Mattia Udom—cut the margin to just two points (54-52) with eight minutes left. A clutch triple from Davide Casarin at the third-quarter buzzer gave Cremona its first lead of the night (58-55), sending the traveling fans into a frenzy.

“We let them back in with sloppy defense and turnovers,” admitted Varese head coach Pierluigi Brotto postgame. “But when it mattered, we made the stops and executed.” Varese outscored Cremona 29-17 in the final period, with Carlos Stewart Jr. (23 points) and Ike Iroegbu (19) combining for 14 of the team’s last 16 points to seal the win.

Key Turning Points

• First-Quarter Surge: Varese opened with an 11-7 lead after back-to-back threes from Olivier Nkamhoua and Davide Alviti, forcing an early timeout from Brotto.
• Cremona’s Response: A 7-0 run midway through the second quarter—fueled by RaeQuan Battle’s three and Udom’s layup—tied the game at 18, but Varese closed the half on a 10-0 run to restore control.
• The Third-Quarter Storm: Willis (12 of his 24 points) and Udom (13 points, 7 rebounds) led a 20-5 run that briefly gave Cremona the lead before Varese’s late rally.
• Clutch Free Throws: Varese shot 18-of-22 from the line in the fourth quarter, including 6-of-6 in the final 90 seconds, to ice the game.

Standout Performances

Varese’s Backcourt Carries the Load

Stewart Jr. And Iroegbu accounted for 42 of Varese’s 84 points, with both guards shooting over 50% from the field. Stewart Jr. Added 5 assists and 3 steals, while Iroegbu—playing through a minor ankle issue—grabbed 8 rebounds. “We knew Cremona would come hard in the second half,” Stewart Jr. Said. “We just had to match their energy.”

Forward Olivier Nkamhoua contributed 13 points and 9 rebounds, while Alviti chipped in 12 points and 6 assists. The balanced attack offset Cremona’s interior dominance (48-36 rebounding edge), as Varese shot 48% from the field compared to Cremona’s 42%.

Cremona’s Near-Miss

Willis led all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three-point range. The American guard also pulled down 7 rebounds and dished out 4 assists, nearly recording a 20-10-5 line. “Payton was phenomenal,” said Cremona captain Christian Burns, the 40-year-old veteran who added 8 points and 6 rebounds. “We just couldn’t receive over the hump in the fourth.”

Udom (13 points, 7 rebounds) and Aljami Durham (12 points, 7 fouls drawn) provided critical support, while Davide Casarin nearly willed Cremona back into the game with 9 points and 6 assists. The 22-year-old guard’s three at the end of the third quarter—his only make in five attempts—gave Cremona its first lead since the opening minutes.

Standings Implications: Playoff Race Heats Up

With the win, Varese (12-16) moves to 24 points in the Serie A LBA standings, four clear of ninth-place Cremona (10-18, 20 points). The top eight teams advance to the postseason, with the final two spots currently occupied by Varese and Reggio Emilia (11-17, 22 points).

Cremona’s path to the playoffs is now mathematically possible but highly improbable. They would need to win their final two games—against lowly Treviso and Trieste—and hope Reggio Emilia loses both of theirs. Even then, a three-way tie at 24 points would trigger a tiebreaker based on head-to-head records, where Cremona holds a 1-1 split with Reggio but trails Varese 0-2.

“We’re not giving up,” Burns said. “But we have to grab care of what we can control first.” Varese, meanwhile, can clinch a playoff berth with a win in either of their remaining games against Brindisi or Pesaro.

Tactical Breakdown: Why Varese Prevailed

Defensive Adjustments

Cremona’s second-half surge was built on Varese’s defensive lapses. After holding Cremona to 31 points in the first half, Varese allowed 27 in the third quarter as they switched to a more aggressive man-to-man defense. “We overplayed the passing lanes and gave up easy drives,” Brotto admitted. “We adjusted in the fourth by going back to a zone, which forced them into tough mid-range shots.”

Free Throw Disparity

Varese’s 26 free-throw attempts (converting 20) compared to Cremona’s 14 (10 made) proved decisive. The hosts drew fouls on 32% of their possessions in the fourth quarter, with Stewart Jr. And Iroegbu attacking the rim relentlessly. “We have to be smarter with our closeouts,” said Cremona guard Sasha Grant, who fouled out late in the game. “We can’t supply them easy points at the line.”

Rebounding Battle

Despite being outrebounded 48-36, Varese dominated the offensive glass (12-6) and scored 14 second-chance points. Nkamhoua and Alviti combined for 7 offensive rebounds, including a crucial putback by Alviti with 1:42 remaining that extended Varese’s lead to 77-71.

What’s Next

Both teams return to action on Tuesday, April 29, with Cremona hosting Treviso (5-23) and Varese traveling to face Brindisi (13-15). A Cremona win and a Reggio Emilia loss would keep their playoff hopes alive—barely—heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

For Varese, the focus shifts to securing the eighth seed. “We’ve got two tough games left, but we control our own destiny,” Stewart Jr. Said. “We’ll take this win, but we know we can’t relax.”

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Tuesday, April 29, 2026 | 8:30 PM CEST (6:30 PM UTC) | PalaRadi, Cremona