Mortara touches the bang in the Gallarate lair

Play off. Race 1 ends 62-58 for the Varese side with some questionable referee decisions in the final played point to point

GALLARATE (Va)

A questionable foul in attack whistled 12 seconds from the end precludes the Expo Inox Mortara from signing what would have been a great shot in game 1 of the first play-off round for promotion to Serie B basketball. The formation coached by coach Alfonso Zanellati is really close, putting the battleship from Varese, number one favorite for the jump in cadeteria, in serious difficulty for the whole game. It ends 62-58 after the offense against Mortara at 60-58, who with a systematic foul brings Gallarate to 62-58, then no foul is whistled on Bazani’s three-point shot that could have written another story.

It is Garcia who immediately gives substance to the away match of the yellow and blue Lomellini, signing almost alone the initial break from 11-10 to 14-16 with which the team of coach Zanellati tears and closes the first break ahead 14-18. It is the defense that is paying and pushing the Mortarese test and, when it starts again, Garcia again with his typical hook stretches up to 16-23. Passerini shakes the people of Varese, brings them back and, with a triple, overtakes (29-27). The young Bettanti, without fear, immediately signs the new parity, Monacelli makes 1/2 to the free players and Calzavacca leads Gallarate forward to the long break 31-30. The Argentines push for the Expo Inox also at the start of the second half, then the show begins with three of the lomellini who with Sacchi, Monacelli and Bazani line up four triples before Monacelli’s two-goal basket for the 45-48 at the last stop. In the final period, Gallarate increases the pressure on the two Argentines in the yellow and blue, with the good and also the bad ones conceded by an arbitrage not up to par and hysterical up to the technical foul on Bazani. Monacelli puts in a nine-meter tracer (53-55), then Zanellati’s team slips a few opaque laps in attack with bloody turnovers at the end up to the final sprint decided in those final twelve seconds that saved Gallarate in extremis. –

Fabio Babetto