SENT TO BRESCIA. Two foreigners to act as extras and still remain glued to the match until the end. Dinamo does not come close to the feat but is still close to it, losing 97-86 on the field of the very enthusiastic Germani Brescia. With Mekowulu transparent and Burnell bungling and too nervous, Bucchi’s Sassari remain in the game up to 3’55 ”from the siren (81-81), then give up leaving the home team the victory in the first match of the second round. At the PalaLeonessa A2A a fun match is staged, characterized by errors and repeated flare-ups, with Dinamo staying alive above all thanks to the shot from outside, but in the long run the gap pays off with a rebound.
Bucchi confirms Diop in the quintet, together with Bendzius, Burnell and the pair of small Robinson-Kruslin. The biancoblù start with a good panache: Bendzius and Kruslin have an edge on both sides, Robinson has warm hands and the Sassari place a break of 11-2 which is worth 6-13. Della Valle wakes up the hosts, who tighten the shirts in defense and force the Banco to three consecutive turnovers. At 14-15 Bucchi sends in Logan and Devecchi, but Germani puts the arrow with Mitrou-Long and Della Valle. The entry of Mekowulu is deleterious, even Logan makes a mess after another and in a moment Magro’s team is ahead 24-18.
At the first siren Dinamo is down 26-20, with 20 points conceded in 6 minutes, and the start of the second period is no better. Cobbins and Laquintana immediately send Brescia to +11 (31-20). Robinson’s return to the field shakes things up a bit (33-27 at 15 ‘with Logan’s bomb), even if the Banco continues to throw away balls repeatedly. Impossible, with this inconstancy, to reverse the inertia of the race, which Brescia continues to manage even though in turn it commits many mistakes and therefore without being able to run away. Burnell, Diop and Kruslin meet again on the field, and with them it is Dinamo that change pace: the Croatian places two bombs in 10 “, the third is signed half a minute later by Robinson after a great defensive work at the team level: in a amen Dinamo is again ahead, 38-40 with 1’50 “from the rest. Magro’s timeout did not stop Dinamo, who extended the break up to 14-0 and found +5 with Diop (38-43). Brescia shakes up just in time to close the time at 42-43.
Upon returning to the field, Brescia cleared up his ideas and started faster, overtaking at 50-48. Dinamo makes water in defense (10 points collected in just over 3 ‘), but the good news is that Bendzius has warmed his hand. Burnell, on the other hand, is an ectoplasm, and his mistakes weigh heavily. Diop crushes Gabriel on the head, the tense stories between Bendzius and Della Valle begin and the match takes off. A lot of basket is made from beyond the arc, and on Della Valle’s second bomb in a row the Dinamo goes under 61-57, 3’22 ”from the third siren. After Bucchi’s timeout, Mekowulu and Burnell are released in one fell swoop, Gentile responds from beyond the arc to Laquintana and Banco remains in the wake, 67-66. The defense is still in trouble and the 6/8 from 3 allows Brescia to get ahead again at the third siren, 72-69. Germani still starts well, Burnell and Moss swing and get a double unsportsmanlike, Dinamo is in trouble but the hot hands of Logan and Bendzius keep it alive: a bomb from the Lithuanian and two from the former Alba Berlin allow the Banco to go up in a moment from 74-69 to 76-78, at 6’27 “from the end of the match. Diop returns but is taken out by the referees. The match remains in the balance up to 3’55 “: after Bendzius’ triple for 81-81, Mitrou-Long, Petrucelli and Cobbins placed the decisive extension: 90-83 at 1’40”. The rebound gap weighs to death, Dinamo loses contact and the hosts close it in the carriage, extending up to 97-86. A pity, but it is a Banco that comes out with his head held high.