Pesaro, February 19, 2022 – The final of the 2022 edition of the Italian Cup Final Eight will see Ax Armani Milano compete against Bertram Derthona Basket Tortona on Sunday at 6pm. In the first semifinal theOlympiad exceeds 69-63 an excellent one Germani Brescia while in the following race the Italian champions of the Virtus Segafredo Bologna 94-82 yield to the Piedmontese team which confirms the absolute revelation of the event.
Ax Armani Milano overtakes Germani Brescia
The roster of coach Ettore Messina suffers from the proverbial seven shirts and has to thank the duo Sergio Rodriguez-Kyle Hines with the Spaniard MVP of the match author of twenty-two points and the American center able to capture thirteen rebounds. On the other hand, the Brescia side saw the streak of nine consecutive victories stop despite the former Amedeo Della Valle who closed with nineteen points on the scoresheet. The balance characterizes the start of the match with Armani able to score six points in the first place but suffer ten from the opponents. Datome and Hall build the partial 9-2 to which Bentil’s basket is added who decrees the 21-12 of the first fraction. The match records a real and at least unexpected setback on the offensive front for the two challengers who pay for the wet powders in the first two minutes of the second fraction. To stir the situation is the Germani that is reported below until 21-18. Ricci and Hall respond to the offensive of the Lioness who will be able to complete the comeback managing to overtake with Gabriel’s triple (29-30). Brescia is confident and will be able to close the first half ahead of only one length (36-37). Upon returning from the locker rooms, it is time for del “Chacho” Rodriguez who slips twelve points in four turns of hands giving a mental shock to his team that returns in the wake managing to balance a highly competitive match in the two offensive halves. The Armani is positioned on + 4 (54-50 at 30 ‘). Back to be heard Datome who fishes the triple that extends the scissor on +7 but it will not be enough. Whenever the red shoes try to stretch there is a leathery Germani who comes back first thanks to Moss and Della Valle then with the Ohio State product that hits from 6.75 meters to 34 ‘(59-58). The decisive tear is signed by Hall (seven rebounds), Hines and a free throw by Delaney (five points with 2/10 shooting) that will definitively break the resistance of a Brescia whose last defeat dates back to the championship match against the Milanese.
Filloy and Macura lay out the Italian Champions of Segafredo Bologna
The surprise of the day comes from duel between Tortona and Virtus with the latter collecting the second defeat of the season – after the one in the championship – against Bertram led by eighteen points each scored by Ariel Filloy and JP Macura supported by fifteen with seven rebounds by Bruno Mascolo who did not regret the absence of the injured Chris Wright. Bologna relies on the talent of Marco Belinelli who responds with a 3/3 to the shot by engaging in a long-distance duel with Jamarr Sanders. The guard of the Piedmontese is the lighthouse in attack immediately warming the hand from three points. It is the defense of the newly promoted to take the measures at the Bianconeri fireballs: the score marks 21-14 for the troops coached by Ramondino protagonist of a partial 11-0 which not even the timeout requested by Scariolo manages to curb the inertia. In the second quarter the tear that Tortona launches materializes: Ariel Filloy finds five points in a new 12-0 run that extends the gap to 38-21. Weems, Alibegovic and Pajola try to put a patch on it but at the interval there are nine lengths to be recovered. The break for hot tea does not generate any kind of reaction to Virtus which reveals an evident suffering in containing the inspiration of Bertram who continues to score from all areas of the field reaching + 25 (86-61) at the start fourth period. It is the moment of maximum splendor for Daum and his associates who will then begin to feel the so-called fear of winning, allowing Bologna to gnaw points up to 90-78 with Belinelli (18 points but 2/11 in the triples). The technical fouls sanctioned by Jaiteh and Scariolo combined with the triple from the corner of Macura put the exclamation point on the victory of Tortona who flies to the final for the first time in his history, living an evening that will remain unforgettable.
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