Serie A basketball, preliminary results of the 18th day: Udine and Venice win

The 18th round of Serie A opens with Udine’s great victory on the Tortona pitch (79-80), after a finale for strong hearts. The triple from an excellent Alibegovic was decisive. Venice passes to Cantù (81-86) thanks to a great choral performance. Wiltjer dominant (22 points, 5/7 from 3).

TORTONA-UDINE 79-80

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Udine smiles in the sprint and beats the Nova Arena of Tortona. The combined 36 points of Alibegovic and Christon were decisive, both at 18. Apu returned to winning ways after 2 knockouts in a row. An excellent Hubb for Bertram (21 points) is not enough to avoid the third knockout in the last four days. The first escape belongs to Tortona, thanks to triples by Baldasso and Hubb and excellent work on both sides of the pitch by Chapman and Biligha. Bertram reaches +10 in the 16th minute (36-26). Udine tries to respond with Alibegovic and Mekowulu (37-31 at 17′), but pays for too many turnovers (5 in the second quarter alone). At the start of the second half a couple of bad attacks from Bertram allow Vertemati’s men to run on the counterattack. A basket from Ikangi makes it 46-all in the 24th minute. The match remains point-to-point even in the following minutes and is resolved at the end. After an error by Christon, Strautins converted the free throw to make it 79-77 with 40” left. Udine scores the basket that decides the contest. After an error by Ikangi, Alibegovic captures the rebound and scores a very complicated triple with Vital on him, which is worth the +1 with 5” left. It was Vital himself who then missed the triple that would have given the victory to Tortona.

Tortona: Hubb 21, Vital 17, Strautins 11

Udine: Alibegovic, Christon 18, Calzavara 13

CANTU’-VENICE 81-86

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A great will is not enough for Cantù to avoid his thirteenth knockout in the championship. Venezia wins with the talent of its individuals, finding offensive continuity in key moments. Third success in the last four for Reyer. Venezia started better and closed a first quarter ahead by 3 possessions characterized by penetrations by Parks and Wheatle and above all an excellent Wiltjer, lethal from every position (15 points in the 10th minute). The guests also went up 12 at the start of the second quarter, after a triple by Candi (16-28 in the 11th minute). Cantù gradually grows and responds with a series of baskets from Green and then those from Sneed and Moraschini from distance, bringing the Lombards closer (11-2 partial, 30-33 at 14′). The hosts also return to -1, but a new 10-0 break from Reyer, built by the Cole-Moraschini axis and Parks’ free throws, sends the guests ahead by 12 (38-50 a few seconds from the 20th minute). Cantù slipped to -18 in the third quarter, after a triple from Wiltjer, but then rose again with baskets from Basile, De Nicolao and Green. Ajayi is also added to the list with 3 (66-67 a few seconds from the 30th minute). In the fourth period, Venezia takes control of the match, with Cole and Wheatle responding to Sneed (68-74 in the 36th minute). In the final, a series of plays by Parks, in the two phases of the game, in addition to the usual Cole and Valentine, direct the match for Reyer.

Cantù: Green 16, Ballo 15, Basile 13

Venice: Wiltjer 22, Cole 16, Parks 11