The difference that shifted the balance of Edilnol-Orlandina was born in the United States: Mack’s six points gave the decisive break for the guests in the heart of the last period, the 1/8 overall of Hasbrouck and Davis (who he took some whistles from the patient Forum) in the key ten minutes he penalized the rossoblùs. Thus ended 68-76, the first victory of the season for the Sicilians, an opportunity wasted by Andrea Zanchi’s boys who cost dearly to make mistakes in a match in which they were rebounded (51 captured by the guests, 17 of them in attack ) and have been shot from afar. There were 11 bombs that entered the Biella basket, 6 of which came out of the hands of Matteo Laganà, a thorn in the side for the whole game. The younger brother of the former captain livened up the afternoon with the duel with Gianmarco Bertetti who once again put talent and courage at the service of the cause together with an 18-point Matteo Pollone.
The starting quintets show that it is the home team that pays duty to the ailments of the Sicilians who line up fully with the Americans Mack and King, fully recovered, the captain Laganà, the center Poser and the eighteen year old Ellis. Zanchi starts Hasbrouck from the bench and focuses on the usual Soviero, Bertetti, Pollone, Davis and Morgillo. It is good because the start is a 70-second apnea in which the scoreboard says 8-0 with two bombs from Pollone and Bertetti, a Davis basket triggered by the number 8 and two blocks from Morgillo. They become three and the advantage becomes 10-3 after the center of Campania capitalizes on another enlightening pass by Bertetti. Then from the launching pad of the Infodrive the triples begin to take off: there are two of Laganà for -1 while Davis continues to try and fight with irons and boards. His 0/3 does not cost him the bench: it is better to stay inside and look for that lack of confidence at all costs. But at 13-15 it is Mack who signs the first overtaking at 3’45 ” from the end of the period, when Hasbrouck has already returned to the field to re-establish the rhythm-match. Orlandina takes the lead 21-22 at the mini-interval thanks to Gay’s placement and 4/5 from the arc.
The percentage improves again thanks to Gay who responds to Hasbrouck’s bomb that opens the second quarter. To break the balance is the entry into the field of Diouf: the Senegalese of Italian training that Capo d’Orlando fished from Bernareggio’s Serie B is a rebounding octopus despite the fact that the two towers Morgillo and Infante are on the parquet together. He captures 6 in the first 9 minutes of his game, adds 4 points and Zanchi is forced to timeout at -5. It would take energy to regain courage: they find Davis with a basket plus a foul (highly applauded by the fans who have decided to stay on his side) and above all Bertetti with two triple in a row, the second with a foul immediately but without the converted free throw. When Zanchi calls him back to the bench, with Edilnol back to -1, he spreads his arms as if to ask himself why. So the end of the period returns to the guest hands with another player promoted by the B as Reggiani to put yet another triple of the match of the new +6 guest. It takes a Hasbrouck masterpiece at 24 seconds to fix the score on a more acceptable 37-41 which leaves everything open at the halfway point.
The third period starts without jolts, if not what Zanchi tries to give with a timeout when the guests are back at +7 at 39-46. It works because Biella manages to gnaw on something by leaning on Hasbrouck and Pollone. But the connection is a blaze by Bertetti: the first triple is worth 52-53 (with Infante who shortly after misses the overtaking one), the second with a foul immediately and still free throw not converted gives Edilnol the advantage on 58- 57 which gives the first siren sound with the team ahead in the first four days.
But the last ten minutes are drought. The first four minutes pass with only one basket from the field, the usual Laganà bomb. And Hasbrouck asks for the change to warm up on the exercise bike, a sign that the condition is far from ideal. When he manages to return after a few minutes it is to compensate for Pollone’s fourth foul and to try to put class at the service of the team. He succeeds with the triple of the last connection at 61-61. But then nothing goes in: Diouf invents an out of balance basket, Mack stretches to +4, Hasbrouck no longer scores (emblematic of the action in which he is wrong and then Davis twice on the offensive rebound) and the American thinks to reply to Pollone to go to +6. It is precisely the number 20 who mitigates the partial in the last seconds when Capo now has his hands on the game. A few whistles and a few grumbles punctuate the still too empty stands of the Forum. There is also an cheering applause
while Hasbrouck in midfield gathers his team and takes the floor. It is early to despair, very early to surrender. But morale cannot be skyrocketing.
Edilnol Biella-Infodrive Capo d’Orlando 68-76
Edilnol: Soviero 4 (2/4), Bertetti 15 (0/1, 5/9), Pollone 18 (4/6, 3/6), Davis 7 (3/8, 0/5), Morgillo 7 (3 / 8), Bianchi 3 (1/3 from three), Hasbrouck 14 (1/4, 4/8), Porfilio (0/2), Infante (0/1 from three), Vincini ne, Loro ne, Finetti ne . Coach: Zanchi
Infodrive: Laganà 20 (1/4, 6/9), Ellis 7 (2/6, 1/1), Mack 17 (7/12, 1/3), King 8 (2/11, 1/1), Poser 2 (1/1), Gay 5 (1/2, 1/4), Reggiani 3 (1/2 of three), Vecerina 4 (2/5, 1/3), Bartoli, Diouf 8 (4/6 ), Telesca ne. Coach: Cardani
Partial: 21-22, 16-19, 21-16, 10-19
From two: Biella 13/33, Orlandina 20/47. From three: Biella 13/32, Orlandina 11/23. Free throws: Biella 3/7, Orlandina 3/8
Rebounds: Biella 34 (Davis 9), Orlandina 51 (Diouf 12). Assist: Biella 18 (Bertetti 5), Orlandina 11 (Ellis and Laganà 3)