Basketball, Serie A: Varese and Scafati advance ok, Brescia and Venice down

VARESE-BRESCIA 80-72
Varese returns to success by sending five players in double figures and, after having suffered from Brescia’s physicality in the first minutes, manages to express the fluidity of his game in a third quarter at a high pace. With Massimburg, in the quintet replacing Della Valle, and the point guard Nikolic as protagonists, Brescia immediately puts his head forward (4-14 at 7’30”), stopping the home quintet with the zone (1/9 from the start ). When Ross awakens Varese (15-16 in the 10th minute), Magro has precious points from Laquintana and Cournooh (17-25 in the 13th minute). It’s Brown’s turn to try and shake up coach Brase’s team who, with a triple from Johnson, finds the first lead (30-29 at 16’30”) and then goes to the long half-time up +6 (44-38 ). A useful margin that extends up to +17 in the 25′ (60-43), the result of a newfound precision from distance with Brown and a Ross capable of suffering three breakthroughs. It is Della Valle with a 3-point game (average tuft plus free throw) who blocks the break of the home team, who however with Reyes keeps the lead after a third quarter of 27-17 (71-55 in the 30th minute) . Brescia tries again with Gabriel and then reopens the game with Cournooh (77-72 in the 38th minute), but a dunk by a 23-rated Owens (5/5 from 2 and 9 rebounds) on a set by Ross gives the bosses the win at home who also overturn the basket difference in the double confrontation. For Brescia it is the 6th knockout in a row between the championship (there are 4) and the Eurocup. (Antonio Franzi)
Varese: Brown 16, Owens 15, Ross 13 Brescia: Gabriel 14, Nikolic 12, Cournooh 11

SCAFATI-VENICE 89-85
Back to success Scafati, overcoming Palamangano, in a final photo finish, Venice which records the third consecutive defeat. Scafati recovers Logan, but he has to thank the usual Okoye and Pinkins, who often alternate under the basket, for the choice of coach Attilio Caja, to play for a good part of the match, with the four little ones. Great impact from newcomer Clevin Hannah (16 points and 8 assists in 22 minutes). Venice plays alternating current, but seems able to close it with the attacking talent of Granger and Parks, but is lost in the final. Despite a naive coach from Spissu, Venezia ahead with a triple from Granger in the 36th minute (76-81). Pinkins and Hannah make it 82-83 with two triples in a row. Venice no longer scores, a heavy mistake by Watt, while Pinkins and Hannah score from the line for overtaking (86-85). With six seconds to go, at 87-85, after a free kick scored by the former Stone, Venezia can still win. After the time out called by coach De Raffaele, Bramos misses the triple. Do it on Okoye, who still fixes the final 89-85 from the line.
(Luca Di Russo)
Scafati: Okoye 25, Pinkins 18, Hannah 16
Venice: Willis 18, Parks 16, Granger 13 Luca Di Russo