UDINE. Mission accomplished. The Apu Old Wild West also passes to Orzinuovi and stamps the pass for the Supercoppa Final Eight, scheduled from Friday to Sunday in Lignano Sabbiadoro.
Game conducted for 40 ‘by the team from Udine, with some flight turbulence in the second and third quarters, but nothing to worry about. At the moment Boniciolli’s team definitely has an edge.
The starting quintet from Udine is made up of Cappelletti, Lautier, Esposito, Italiano and Pellegrino. An aggressive start for the bianconeri is expected, and the field does not deny the forecasts. Esposito is charged and immediately signs 6 points, Giuri and even Pellegrino hit from three points thanks to open shots. Lautier also scores, at 6 ‘the display reads 8-24 for a dominant Apu, while Orzinuovi tries in vain to develop his running basketball.
Apart from a couple of rings from Corbett, the Lombards combine little, also because they give birth to too many hurried shots. The game is all downhill, the guys from the West have fun and have fun, like when Lautier the counter-attack raises the alley oop for Walters’ dunk. In the second quarter the Udinese defense continues to grant Orzinuovi the minimum wage, but the attack is no longer fluid as in the first 10 ‘.
Corbett has another blaze, Epps and Renzi score from below and suddenly the game reopens: 29-34 at 18 ‘. The small home crowd found their voice again, luckily for Udine Nobile put a heavy triple and the excellent Esposito (10 points at rest) brought back the advantage in double figures before the long break.
After the rest, the APU controls the game and accelerates with Cappelletti, who gives magic between 24 ‘and 25’: assist in the kiss for a very concrete Pellegrino, winning penetration and shooting from outside for 37-50. Yet Orzinuovi never gives up, Renzi lights up and even signs a 4-point game for -2 (56-58) on the 29 ‘, while Walters commits a naive fourth foul.
The Old Wild West swerves, but does not go off the road, two bombs by Cappelletti and Lautier extinguish the ambitions of Orzinuovi, who collapses. An all-black final, Udine spreads up to the final +26 and celebrates qualification. –