Serie A basketball, matchday 13: Brindisi goes to Trento. Treviso, Tortona, Verona and Scafati also win

The 13th day of Serie A is completed. The Happy Casa Brindisi, without Nick Perkins, imposes itself on the Dolomiti Energia Trentino. Treviso, Tortona and Verona also win. Scafati overwhelms Naples

Trento-Brindisi 68-78

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Coach Vitucci’s Happy Casa Brindisi opens its 2023 with a very heavy 68-78 victory against a dull Trento, making a significant leap in view of the Italian Cup Final Eight. Launched departure of the Apulians who open the dance with Burnell and the athleticism of Etou for the lightning 0-7 in the 3′. Atkins scored the first field goal for the black and whites, who supported by Crawford put back two lengths away, only to suffer again counter-attacks orchestrated by Bowman and finalized by Etou (7-13 in the 7th minute). It also touches +9 Brindisi (10-19 in the 9th minute) which suffers in the final four consecutive points from Ladurner for 14-19. L’Aquila welcomes Spaniard back on the parquet of the BLM Group Arena and the blue talent who serves Crawford first and then goes on his own with a shot from medium distance in precarious balance for -4 (22-26) is immediately precious. Bowman takes the chair and scores six points in the final, extending up to +8 (28-36). Upon returning from the changing rooms, the match increases in number of shots with Trento who regains confidence with long distance, getting closer to -4 (38-42 in the 25th minute). However, Brindisi acquires compactness which redraws the advantage with the baskets of Bayehe and Etou. At the end Bowman hits from behind the arc for +12, attenuated by Atkins baskets for 45-53. The Apulians were deadly in the fourth period with triples from Burnell and Bowman for +13 (46-59). On the support of Reed for the new +13 (53-66), Flaccadori lights up and packs the partial of 7-0, writing -6 in the 36th minute (60-66) but it is again Bowman who returns nine lengths of lead to the of him. Flaccadori is stubborn to put in the -5 basket (64-69) but it is Burnell, star performer of the evening with 18 points and eight rebounds in 31′ who closes the accounts with six consecutive points, including the triple from the tip valid as an unequivocal sentence fifty seconds after the sound of the siren. (Roberto Buffa).

Trento: Atkins 16, Grazulis 12, Flaccadori and Crawford 10

Toast: Burnell 18, Bowman 16, Mascolo 13

Treviso-Venice 100-93

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Still 55 points from the Banks-Iroegbu couple, another victory – the third in a row – for Treviso. After the sack of Tortona, coach Marcelo Nicola’s boys (still without Sokolowski) win the spectacular derby against Reyer Venezia, in a sold out and festive Palaverde. Already at the start, the intentions of the home team are understood, which starts where it finished in Tortona, with a 13-2 that sees Banks and Iroegbu as absolute protagonists. Reyer lets her vent and quickly gets back into the game with Moraschini and an infallible Spissu, so after 10′ the scoreboard reads 23-24. With the entry of Tessitori, Venice finds easy points in the area but, even with limited rotations, the locals don’t give up an inch. We went to the break on 48 all and with Spissu at 19, but it was in the second half that the game got on fire. Reyer immediately tries to break the balance, finding +5 with Watt, but Treviso doesn’t collapse and turns the inertia with an 18-6 run that blows up Palaverde. However, Venice is always there and we enter the last quarter practically even, 74-73. It’s a balance that lasts almost to the end, with much slower paces and dragging action to the very end. Treviso has something more and manages to enter the last 2′ with a margin of five points: Reyer tries, but Banks and Zanelli don’t miss a beat. (Alberto Mariutto)

Treviso: Banks and Iroegbu 30, Cooke 12

Venice: Spissu 21, Watt 15, Tessitori 14

Varese-Tortona 88-89

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With a very solid last quarter, relying on the physicality and experience of his big men Cain-Radosevic and the excellent Daum in evidence, Tortona sends five players in double figures and thwarts the great performance of a 46 rated Colby Ross (35 points, with 8/11 from 2, 4/6 from 3 and 10 assists). At the start, Ross immediately pushes on the accelerator and Varese looks for a break (+6 13-7 in 4’30”). Ramondino responds with a zone that lowers the percentages of the home quintet (2/8 from 3 to 10′) and yields an 11-2 away set (15-18 to 8’30”). If Woldetensae has a blaze from distance with three triples in a row, Daum’s consistency guarantees the external advantage, which extends to +8 (27-35 at 15’55”) before the usual Ross (6 assists already long interval) find the way to beat the Piedmontese defense, allowing Openjobmetis a 17-5 break (44-40 at 19’30”). When Brown also makes his talent weigh on both sides of the parquet, Brase’s team can fly to +13 (72-59 at 28’23 “) with a third quarter of 29 points overall. Tortona has the merit of believing in it and enters the final period with a run of 8-0 (73-70 in the 33rd minute), blocked by a block by Owens and a triple by Brown. At the fourth foul by the USA winger, however, a positive Candi with 6 points in a row restores parity on the scoreboard (76-76 at 35’05”) while it is Filloy and Radosevic who propitiate the new +5 from Tortona (78-83 to 36’47). That’s not enough, because Ross is unstoppable and, alone, puts the home team ahead when entering the last minute (88-85 at 39’24”). Filloy is relentless from distance (88-88), leaving 29″ on the clock: Ross himself crashes into the defense and then commits a foul 1″ from the siren, allowing Christon to seal a precious Piedmontese success with a free throw to the 4,700 of the fourth consecutive sold out in Masnago. (Antonio Franzi)

Varese: Ross 35, Woldetensae 17, Brown 15

Tortona: Daum 17, Radosevic 14, Christon, Filloy and Cain 10

Verona-Trieste 88-81

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Tezenis Verona won 88-81 against Pallacanestro Trieste, starting 2023 with a home victory that hadn’t happened since last October 2nd. At the AGSM Forum it is the home team that comes out better from the starting blocks, as demonstrated by the 11-4 run in the first 75”, sealed by Taylor Smith’s dunk on Karvel Anderson’s assist. However, Trieste demonstrates its willingness to give continuity to what was seen in the 2022 finale by returning to the game with Corey Davis’ baskets and also takes the lead 3’12” from the first mini-half, with Spencer’s winning dunk (17- 18). The first period ends with the Giulians ahead by 2 points. Trieste tries to run away in the heart of the second period, but Tezenis has other ideas and takes home a 12-3 run thanks to which they first get ahead with Casarin’s 3-point shot and then extend up to +5 with the 2/2 from Udom’s line, a gap that remains the same until the siren at the end of the first half (47-42). Gaines’ winning support 1’08” after returning to the parquet is worth the tie at 47. From that moment, however, Tezenis closes the defense and focuses on the physicality of Johnson and Smith in attack, as well as on the precision of an Anderson capable of putting his signature on +9 with the stoppage and winning shot 4’32” from the last mini-interval. Anderson takes care of closing the discussion: his jump shot from behind is the winner and with 82” to go he puts back 9 points between the two teams (88-79). The last Trieste basket, signed by Deangeli, only serves to close the gap: at the siren it’s 88-81 for Verona.

Verona: Anderson 19, Casarin 12, Smith 12

Trieste: Spencer 20, Bartley 14, Gaines 13

Virtus Bologna-Milan 74-96

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(here the report)

Sassari-Brescia 92-94 aet

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The PalaSerradimigni marathon rewards Brescia, after a match made up of long alternating tears Magro’s team finds the decisive break with Della Valle after an overtime. First part of the competition in balance, but made up of several stretches from one side to the other. Brescia finds space in the low post with Odiase, while Sassari initially accuses the low percentages from long range. Magro’s team seems to be able to dictate the pace and build an important break, especially with the contribution of the second lines, but Massinburg and partners seem to be lacking in maturity, conceding in the best moments opportunities that Sassari of experience maximizes. It is the work of the wingers that allows Dinamo to stay in line with Kruslin and Robinson on the shields. 40-44 at 20′. After the long break, Sassari changes face, Bucchi’s team dominates from the rebound and raises the pace, cancels the Brescia wingers and flies in attack, with Jones and Bendzius protagonists of a quarter from 29 to 13 that puts the guests on the ropes. However, the match is far from over, Brescia regains mental and physical energy in the last quarter, the defense and precision in the line by Taylor and his associates, are worth the counter break that leads to the new guest overtaking. The match is not even decided in the last possessions, Brescia digs the +3 and Robinson’s breakthrough on Cournooh seems to decide the match, but the American point guard makes it up to you immediately after, purposely misses the second free throw 6” from 40′ then finding the rebound, which allows Jones to score the basket that takes the game to overtime at an altitude of 84. We still go point-to-point even in extra time, lack of lucidity but not courage, Coournoh and Della Valle build the +5, Bendzius tries to mend the gap on his own 8″ from the end, but the 02 in the line doesn’t help the hosts, Gabriel does no better and for Sassari the same situation arises as in the 40′, Robinson makes 12 but Brescia this time finds the rebound that takes away the last chance of a draw for the landlords, conquering the PalaSerradimigni. (Nicola Cascioni)

Sassari: Jones 21, Bendzius 19, Robinson 17

Brescia: Taylor, Della Valle 18, Gabriel 13

Scafati-Naples 96-61

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The Campanian derby has Scafati as its absolute master, who asphalts Naples (96-61) at the Palamangano, putting coach Buscaglia in trouble, his third defeat in a row. Scafati, on the other hand, wins the fifth match in the last six days and begins to dream of the Italian Cup Final Eight. A monologue entirely from the Scafatese brand, the derby, in the sold out Palamangano. Scafati dominates with Pinkins, Mvp (24 points and 11 rebounds), Okoye (21) and the rising leadership of Julyan Stone (10 points and 11 assists). Naples without personality, collapsed definitively in the second half, contested by its fans. First extension by Scafati at the end of the first quarter with triples by Pinkins and Imbrò (20-12 in the 9th minute) mitigated by Uglietti’s free throws which closes the fraction on 21-15 for the hosts. In the second quarter Scafati extends further with two consecutive triples by Stone (38-25 in the 17th minute) for +13. Upon returning to the field, Logan’s triples dig the groove (63-35 in the 26th minute), while Napoli no longer scores. Last quarter with Scafati who doesn’t stop and even reaches +42 (95-53 in the 37th minute). (Luca Di Russo)

Scafati: Pinkins 24, Okoye 21, Stone 10.

Naples: Howard 14, Michineau and Stewart 9.

Reggio Emilia-Pesaro 95-76

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(played on 30/12, here the report)