Broni overwhelms Empoli and breathes iron defense, two gold points

A1 Series. Krivacevic and Dedic dominate under the basket, PalaBrera can celebrate. Costruzioni Italia rises to ninth place

WEAPONS

Costruzioni Italia Broni beats Use Scotti Rosa Empoli at PalaBrera. A very important success because the Italians leave the Tuscans in last place with 2 points and have 4 points ahead of them. Broni is now ninth, leaving behind Dinamo Sassari, Moncalieri, Costa Masnaga and Faenza, all knocked out.

Balance at the start

First quarter very balanced with the two hermetic defenses. Broni still manages to touch the 7-point advantage (12-5), making the most of Dedic’s plays under the basket and Krivacevic’s physicality. The Tuscan team runs out of bonus in the middle of the quarter, allowing the Oltrepadane to go to the line, but in the first 10 ‘the team of coach Castelli is not particularly precise from the line of charity, only 5/9. Too many mistakes allow Empoli to make up for it and even the score, also because the home team remain dry in attack for 2’15 ”. Bestagno takes care of giving oxygen with a basket, on which he also suffers a foul, thus completing the three-point game, because he puts the additional free in the retina. In the second quarter, Costruzioni Italia starts again with the right attitude in defense, but Empoli does not give up an inch, finding good solutions from the arc, when it fails to penetrate. Broni recovers several rebounds, but the Tuscans immediately take on the ball carriers, preventing Castelli’s team from starting in transition. We think a 5-0 signed by the Croatian Mia Masic to launch the girls of Castelli who continue to push on the accelerator and close well in defense, ending the first portion of the game on +20 (40-20). The new Croatian signing and the Serbian Krivacevic give an important break: 10-0 partial in the last 3’21 “. At the start of the second half, Empoli started to defend very strongly, right from the goal kick, forcing Broni to commit 24 ”infractions on two occasions.

The challenge becomes very physical, with the girls called to do a door under the basket, where however Krivacevic and Galbiati manage to find some good solutions, but Scotti seems to have shifted the inertia to her side and coach Castelli wants to talk about it. Time is needed and how, because the home team immediately puts things back in place, indeed it tweaks the advantage (54-32), but the unsportsmanlike foul of Krivacevic (much contested by the PalaBrera audience) allows the guests to nibble a small point right at the expire of the 3rd quarter (54-33). In the final period, Use Scotti further closes the defense mesh, forcing Broni to seek solutions on the perimeter. Costruzioni Italia holds great and takes the victory home. In the final coach Castelli can leave room for the young Quintiero and Repetto. The victory is welcomed as a liberation by the girls who follow the last minutes all standing. At the end the usual greeting to the home crowd and to the Viking, with the cry “Broni”. A success achieved with the heart and with an impeccable defense that gave very little to the Tuscans. Next Sunday the very heartfelt derby against Geas Sesto San Giovanni away.

FRANCO SCABROSETTI