Old Wild West, the tenth victory in a row arrives but with the thrill

Udine also wins in Mantua, now there are ten in a row. You swear infallible sniper then the general sleep

Tenth victory in a row, the Apu Old Wild West also passes to Mantua with the usual capital team test embellished this time by a Giuri on-fire from 7 out of seven by three points and 24 points for 38 ‘and final tail with thrill with two minutes of total madness in which the leaders risked throwing everything away.

Mantova tries at the beginning with a strong defense and with the classic trap zone, but finds Walters in front of the wall and when the Old Wild West, without Mussini (knee) and Ebeling too (seasonal illness), adjusts the aim and creates better shots also thanks to a clarifying time-out by coach Boniciolli, he ends up immediately below: 13-24 at the end of the first quarter.

Hollis Thompson is missing, the former Cortese is not at his best among the hosts who played, won and struggled on Wednesday against Capo d’Orlando, but did not give up and reached Udine thanks to a blaze from Mastellari. Udine loses fluidity for a moment in attack (Antonutti misses two shots from the line which he usually does with his eyes closed), Mantua clings to the area, vaguely tries to put a grain in the certainties of the Apu.

The plan holds up a flash until Professor Giuri strikes the Virgilians. Five triples in the second quarter: 18 points at half-time. The play from Brindisi, who has overcome the influence that had limited him in the Italian Cup, exalts the usual group of loyalists from Sector D who shout at the top of their lungs at the Grana Padano Arena. Useless the jolt of Maspero, the Apu goes to the long interval with 8 out of 15 from three and a double-digit advantage that is more than reassuring: 46-32. Well everyone, with Lacey as a team man rather than a scorer.

He starts again, Walters stops, scores, plays well and after realizing he hurts his knee from below, making everyone hold their breath as he falls, but walks out even if in pain. Mantua sinks to almost twenty points, tries to recover by defending strong, even hard and making mysteriously fewer fouls than Udine. Boniciolli is furious, Lacey gets nervous by making many mistakes, Walters remedies by returning to the field restored and continuing his great game. A triple by Nobile virtually closes the scores, if they were ever really open, at the end of the third quarter with Giuri also marking the seventh triple out of seven attempts.

The last quarter? It starts with strained stories between Lacey, for once nervous and inaccurate. Not a good sign. Up to a minute and a half from the end the game is in full control of Udine but suddenly, with an incredible blackout, they stop. Four turnovers, given away, two by Giuri, the best for posting. The leaders thought she had won and finds herself having to win back the game with all the inertia on the Virgilians, for 38 minutes annihilated. The worst thing for a team. Mantova goes back to minus 3 (70-73) Antonutti from the line 35 ”from the end is icy and marks the most important points of his game. Lacey also scores from the line and ends where she started: nine points clear of 79-70. But what a thrill.