Serie A basketball, results: Milan, Bologna and Venice ok

After Reggio Emilia’s success in Cremona early on Saturday, the program of the fourth day of Serie A basketball comes to an end. Trento returns to win, again away from home, in Varese. Venice takes the derby in Treviso, Naples spreads against Brindisi. Milan proved to be more lucid than Tortona in the final part of the match and achieved an unexpected victory. Scafati and Brescia move on to Pesaro and Pistoia. Virtus Bologna overwhelms Sassari.

TORTONA-MILAN 75-79

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The first away match of the Milanese season arrives in Tortona. Sprint start for Olimpia, who often manages to find the free man under the basket and shoots well from outside the area: the partial 9-0 (11-20) arrives immediately. Despite some tremors from Bertram, Milan easily maintained their distance, especially thanks to Melli’s work in the area: the first half ended 31-41. Upon returning from the locker rooms Derthona shifts into high gear with Dowe and Weems and scores a lightning break of 11-0 which is worth the overtaking (42-41). Milan seems to be in trouble from the opposing defense, but remains in the game with points from Tonut, always brilliant when attacking off the dribble. The last quarter continues point by point: with 1′ to go, it’s an absolute draw at 75-75. Milan takes the lead with Shields (75-77), sent to the line by a defensive naivety by Obasohan. And it is the same Bertram guard who in the following action lacks the support that would have been worth the equalizer, and Olimpia only has to close with free throws.

Tortona: Weems 19, Daum 16, Dowe 12;

Milan: Melli and Poythress 14, Pangos 11.

VARESE-TRENTO 84-85

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Despite the winning debut in the Europe Cup, against Keravnos, and a sold out Italyum Arena, Varese still falls. Despite immediately taking the lead of the race only to leave it in the final seconds. In the first quarter, thanks to triples from Hanlan and Woldetensae, Varese found the 28-16 after 9 minutes, but with Grazulis, Trento halved the deficit and took the lead midway through the second period (31-33); taking advantage of defense and rebounds. The balance holds until the interval even if Varese gives the +2 boost before the siren (44-42). After another 16 balanced minutes, triples from McDermott and Brown try to direct the game – which in the meantime has almost become a three-point game – at 77-69, but in the 38th minute Trento overtakes again (82-83), again from arc with Alviti. The game was played point by point, until Hubb’s decisive basket which gave the visitors victory, the third in four Serie A matches.

Varese: McDermott 21; Brown 15 and Moretti 15;

Trent: Alviti 18; Biligha and Hubb 14.

TREVISO-VENICE 77-82

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Reyer was undefeated, only defeats for Treviso who remained ahead in the derby for a long time, but then deflated in the last quarter. Booker on one side and Tessitori immediately scored a lot, until Treviso took the first break from the arc and ran up to +9 (30-21). Shortly after, the locals also found a double-digit advantage with Zanelli and Mezzanotte (42-29). Between the third and fourth periods, however, Venezia narrowed the gap to -5 in the 32nd minute (67-62). Then, after a lifetime, he even regains the advantage with triples from Wiltjer and De Nicolao (69-70). At that point Brown is glacial from the line, the locals’ blackout continues (1 point in 6 minutes) and Spahija’s team has the experience to never look back. Despite Bowman’s -1.

Treviso: Harrison 15, Paulicap 11, Mezzanotte, Zanelli and Allen 9;

Venice: Tucker 17, Brown 13, Simms 11.

NAPLES-BRINDISI 90-71

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Third victory in four matches for Napoli, who fell away against Brescia last week. The return match at PalaBarbuto is a dominated match, with the lead already achieved in the third quarter, so much so that there is time for the first point in Serie A for Stefano Saccoccia born in 2006. Brindisi, still hunting for a victory between the championship and the Europe Cup, holds a fourth, then leaves the field to Gevi who immediately takes the reins with Zubcic. The Croatian will also be the MVP with 24 points and 6 rebounds in 23 minutes. When Napoli opens the throttle it does so with a 16-0 break which becomes decisive, pushing up to 47-29 at the break. It will be the third quarter that confirms that this is a match without history.

Naples: Zubcic 24, Ennis13, Sokolowski 12;

Toasts: Morris 13, Riisma and Johnson 12.

PESARO-SCAFATI 103-107

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It’s a continuous twist at the Vitrifrigo Arena, where Scafati blows a 20-point lead but still manages to secure the victory. Givova runs away immediately, punishing a Vuelle who doesn’t seem to be on the pitch and posting a heavy run of 22-0 (8-32) at the start of the match. In the second half the percentages of the guests dropped slightly and the home team tried to shake things up, without however managing to significantly reduce the advantage gained by Scafati, who led 30-47 when he returned to the locker room. But in the second half we see another Vuelle: first he closes the deficit to single digits (61-67 at the end of the third quarter) and 5′ from the end he even takes the lead with Mazzola’s triple (73-70). Givova seems to have lost clarity, but is saved with 5” from the end by the usual Logan, who equalizes from the line. Scafati hits the overtime approach and definitively sinks Pesaro thanks to Pinkins, MVP of the match with 33 points.

Pesaro: Totè 29, Tambone 19, Mazzola 15;

Scafati: Pinkins 33, Robinson 16, Logan and Rossato 15.

PISTOIA-BRESCIA 72-84

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The Lombards’ happy streak continues, leading from start to finish at PalaCarrara and remaining with full points in the championship. Excellent start from Gabriel for Germani, who scored 9 points in the first quarter. Brescia leads easily, but Pistoia remains in the game holding on to Willis and Ogbeide: 31-38 at half time. In the second half, Estra finds a 5-point mini-partial that brings them back into contact (38-40), but the guests respond with a heavy counter-break of 12-0 (48-68) which bears the signature of Della Valle, exceptional from behind the arc. Pistoia looks for a reaction by raising the pace in the final half, but the advantage gained by Magro’s team is too large to be mended.

Pistoia: Willis 21, Ogbeide 19, Moore 10;

Brescia: Della Valle 26, Bilan and Cournooh 11.

VIRTUS-SASSARI 80-66

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Four out of four in the league also for Luca Banchi’s team, which confirms its excellent form after the two victories in the Euroleague during the week. Balanced match only at the start, with Smith and Abass leading Virtus from behind the arc and Whittaker responding for the Sardinians. Dinamo finds a mini-stretch of +6 at 22-28, to which however the home team responds with a counter-break of 12-0 which gives them the lead (34-28). In the second half Sassari tries to get back into contact, but shows difficulty in containing the opponents from outside the area: the black Vs easily maintain their distance throughout the match and in the final Lundberg’s triple which is worth +14 (76-62) sends the credits.

Virtus: Abass 14, Smith 13, Shengelia, Mickey and Lundberg 10;

Sassari: Treier and Diop 11, Whittaker 9.