Biancoblù disappointing, Brindisi wins and flies to the semifinals
SENT TO BOLOGNA. Forty minutes, not one more. The Dinamo dance to the final phase of the Super Cup lasts the contractual minimum. A limp dance, often out of time. At the Unipol Arena the Happy Casa Brindisi wins 76-66 and reaches the semifinals with full merit, beyond some small recrimination of the Sassari on some referees interpretations, in particular those that have removed Mekowulu from the match.
A fair defeat. But the result gained on the field does not allow for replicas, with Logan and his teammates constantly wrapped up on an offensive level and always late on the “half balls”. Dynamo downsized? It is too early to say, certainly at the first test of a certain level the bricks patiently positioned in the pre-season jumped into the area: defensive intensity and fluidity in attack almost never went hand in hand, and the attack, the main weapon of the Sassari, he suffered the pains of hell. Over 40 minutes, the Banco played at least 30 in apnea, suffering beyond the many open shots sent on the iron at the start and managing to express himself at acceptable levels only for a good half of the third period.
The match. Banco starts off very badly on an offensive level, with just 6 points scored in the first 5 ‘. Brindisi, in turn, slowed down, then took off with a 4-point game by Visconti and a 3-point game by Perkins. In the middle of the period, Happy Casa is ahead 13-6 and Dinamo remains alive only thanks to Logan’s usual “presentation” flank. Cavina changes the two longs, inserting, Treier and Battle, and his team enters the game (13-12), failing several times open shots for overtaking. Brindisi takes advantage of this and closes the period ahead 18-14. It starts from the offensive problems of the start, while the Salento hit from afar with Redivo and on the counterattack with Chappell for 23-14. We need a timeout, but when we return to the field the scenario does not change: the attack is completely gagged and the first basket arrives after almost 4 ‘of the second period. The triples continue to bounce off the iron (1/10 at 15 ‘), on the other hand something good comes from the defense, which leads to the unsportsmanlike Josh Perkins and the transition of -4 (29-25) completed by Bendzius. At the best moment, however, Dinamo gives up the hold and still reaches -9, 34-25 at mid-race.
The best Dinamo. Banco returns to the field with more courage and a flash from Clemmons and Bendzius is worth 34-30. Gaspardo relaunches the Salento with points and defense, but the Sassari are now in the game: Clemmons goes to the iron which is a pleasure, Burnell and Bendzius finally hit from beyond the arc and shortly before mid-term Vitucci is forced to ask for a timeout on 45 -44. Bendzius signs the overtaking, we finally see Mekowulu and 3’30 ”from the third siren the Sassari are +3, 45-48.
The ultimate collapse. Brindisi remains there thanks to the offensive rebounds, but in the meantime Mekowulu and Bendzius are out with four and three fouls, so the Salento respond with a 7-0 break and end the period 52-48. Other offensive rebounds arrive for the Brindisi team, who seem to have more energy and at 7’45 “they ran away again, 58-50. Cavina asks for a timeout and plays all out with Mekowulu: the center seems to be on the ball but remains on the field just a minute before committing the fifth foul. At the turn of this highly questionable whistle, Redivo breaks the game and at 6’07 ”Brindisi took off, 63-52. Dinamo comes out of the timeout with 3 turnovers in a row, Cavina orders the zone and Zanelli puts the triple of the stirrup on the 24 “siren already 4’30” from the end (66-54). Logan and Burnell don’t give up, Bendzius scores 70-64 at 1’50 “but now the bell has sounded. End of dance, from today we think about the championship and the many problems to be solved near the basket.
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