It suffers, then it engages. He comes back and keeps up with the opposing team. Then wins, the Gesteco of Cividale in the match valid for the first day of the Super Cup.
However, the ducal team does more: a privateer, in fact, and dragged by a super Pepper (24 points) conquers the Giuseppe Bondi Arena beating the hosts of Kleb Basket Ferrara by 75-79 in the first round of the Super Cup.
For the club of president Davide Micalich, this is the first official success in the A2 universe. Solid, cynical, Ueb showed character, not feeling the weight of the debut, which also took place away.
On the other hand, no awe emerges from the men of coach Pillastrini at the start. Rota’s legs do not tremble, as he penetrates by opening the scoring.
Chiera’s pulse is sure in response to the Cleaves bomb: the captain makes six in a row and leads Cividale to lead (5-8). The home American, however, is already on the ball: the reversal, thus, served. With him Ferrara stretches up to +10 of 7 ‘(18-8). Pepper blocks with a three-point game, but Ferrara, from the bow, is lethal and sends the eagles out of control.
At the first siren the score reads 26-16. A couple of turnovers, then, and Ferrara opens the break even further. The 7-0 immediately at the opening of the second quarter (33-16) is a slap that awakens the Friulian team: Mouaha mends, Miani suffers an unsportsmanlike and brings more points to the cause.
The ascent appears complex, but Ferrara feels dizzy and skids. A lost ball at 13 ‘, consequently, turns into -9 Ueb (33-24). Chiera plays the charge from 6.70 meters; from the line of charity, then, Rota and Pepper bring the band of Pilla back to the surface: 36-34. It is 17 ‘and the match can begin again, with a more lively, reactive Gesteco. Pepper, specifically, is on fire, Rota fights, snatches a ball and achieves a counterattack: at the interval Cividale overturned her, 44-46.
Leaving the locker room, Miani resumes the interrupted speech giving a basis to the extension claims of his. His basket, however, is not immediately followed. And Ferrara, therefore, has an impact with Cleaves (48-48). The question and answer ignites the match, in spite of the physical condition – still precarious – of the two teams.
Pepper, quietly, increases his personal tally with a triple of 51-55 in the 25th minute, while Nikolic scores in reverse. The balance of the partial remains: Cleaves goes back to the chair but Cassese, in fact, cancels his effort with a buzzer beater from midfield.
At 30 ‘it is 65-65. It is thus a blackout on the ducal front that once again turns the cards of the match together. The Eagles, distracted, then concede the flank by collecting the lunges of the hosts. At -7, Ueb gets back on track: Pepper sets off the alarm, Rota draws from the corner (72-72). In the last 5 ‘, the Gesteco is on +1 but wastes a couple of opportunities to stretch. Never mind, Ferrara has low batteries and lopsided aim.
Pepper, in the line, supports the advantage; Chiera, from the same position, fails to kill the fight. No problem, Miani, a bouncing feline, does it: the Friulian makes the ball his own while the stopwatch leads to the end of the race time.