Serie A basketball: Robinson and Diop, Sassari beats Reyer

Sassari stretches ahead of Reyer in the league, the white-blues find the warmth of PalaSerradimigni after the long break for the Italian Cup and national teams and restart the league on the right foot, proving to be a mature team especially in managing the key moments of the match.

SASSARI-VENICE 90-81

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In anticipation of the 20th day, after the warm tribute of PalaSerradimigni and Dinamo, dedicated to the first match as Marco Spissu’s opponent on the Sassari parquet, we started immediately strong with Dinamo good at making Reyer play badly. Bucchi’s men double well in the low post and take away the guests’ pace, a choice that forces the gold-grana to find the first field goal after more than 5′. Spahija finds the Bramos card from the pack, the captain hits from long range and recovers the 8-point break built by Robinson and his associates, inaugurating a series of tears from both sides that keeps the match in balance. Diop shines in the opponent’s area for Sassari, Watt and Granger respond for Venice and in the 20th minute, the score is 44-43 for the hosts.

The decisive break

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After the long break, the script doesn’t change, pace of play often interrupted by referee calls, but with Venice good at building even 9 margins starting from the defense and the counterattack, Sassari responds at the end of the fourth finding Bendzius in the first points and again Robinson the strength to move to +1 in the 30th minute. Sassari runs away at the opening of the last quarter taking advantage of the intensity of Gentile and Robinson, Venice tries to mend the tear, but loses Spissu due to an ankle injury and has to rely on the league rookie Ray to close the gap; a solution that is not enough to turn the inertia, Sassari takes a new defensive step to close the game, Venice goes to the ropes and Bendzius’ triple of +14 with 1′ from the end closes the score for the match, while Bramos saves the difference between the baskets of the direct clashes with the last baskets.

Sassari: Robinson 24, Diop 19, Stephens and Dowe 12

Venice: Bramos 17, Tessitori 13, Watt, Parks 12

The program

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The other matches of the 20th day, scheduled for Sunday:

16.00 Naples-Varese
16.30 Milan-Scafati
17.00 Verona-Reggio Emilia
17.30 Pesaro-Brindisi (DMax)
18.00 Trento-Brescia
19.30 Trieste-Treviso
20.00 Virtus Bologna-Tortona (Eurosport 2)