Givova Scafati’s playoff adventure could not have started better than this. In race one of the quarter-finals, the Agro team clearly overtook the Lux Chieti at PalaMangano 78-63. The final result of the challenge was practically never questioned: the men of patron Longobardi, with the full squad, led the dances from ball two and conducted hostilities without ever suffering excessively the verve of the Abruzzese. The latter, orphans of the former Santiangeli (injured), while facing the match openly and without awe, never became concretely dangerous, remaining at a safe distance from the opponent. Good approach with the race of the latest arrival Gaines, who made his debut with a convincing performance, demonstrating the goodness and quality of the athlete and his enormous ability to adapt to the scafatese context in just a few days of training. The understanding between him and his teammates will certainly grow in the upcoming challenges scheduled, starting with race two on Tuesday evening, 8.45 pm, always at PalaMangano.
The first minutes of the contest are essentially study and studded with numerous errors in the final phase, both on one side and the other (2-3 to 4 ‘). The ballistic skills of Gaines and Thomas and the chorality of the offensive game allow Givova to put her foot on the accelerator (10-6 at 5 ‘; 14-8 at 7’). But Lux is not there, relies on Sorokas and thus holds on to the opponent, closing the first fraction under 19-14.Without the two Americans and with almost all the men who started from the bench on the field, the Gialloblù improve the volume of game, more and more organic, keeping the nose ahead (27-20 at 14 ‘). Williams and his teammates hold a beat (27-23 at 15’), but then the intensity and rhythm imposed by the home athletes grows, who reach the double-digit advantage (34-23 at 17 ‘). The timeout called by Maffezzoli does not take away the ball of the game from the hands of Scafati, who, in the minutes that separate the two contenders with the interval, further extends his advantage over the opponent (42-27).
The attacking baskets change, but the course of the match does not change, firmly in the hands of the hosts, who find in the latest arrival Gaines (assisted by the usual Thomas) a precious offensive terminal, able to lead his team by the hand, quite easily, up to +20 in eight minutes (60-40 at 28 ‘). Meluzzi and associates do their best to try to make themselves dangerous, but the difference in value between the two staffs appears rather clear, even when coach Finelli puts the foreigners to rest and keeps an all-Italian quintet on the field, good at closing the third fraction. Williams’ raids try to shake up the game. The red and white, in fact, slightly shorten the distances (72-55 at 35 ‘), forcing coach Finelli to timeout. Adagiat idel advantage in the meantime, the locals decrease the intensity, but in doing so they lend the side to the opponent (74-61 at 38 ‘), however forced to surrender, also by virtue of the little margin of time available. At 40 ‘the electronic scoreboard gives reason to Givova Scafati, victorious 78-63.
Coach Alessandro Finelli: “We dedicate this victory to Giovanni Acanfora, patron of the main sponsor Givova, who is celebrating his birthday today: he is one of our first fans and plays a pivotal role for our company, together with the president Alessandro Rossano and the patron Nello Lombards. Tonight’s was not an easy game, because during the week we had to include Gaines and Cervi in our games, players who certainly allow us to take an important step forward, but who still need to be contextualized in the right ways. Congratulations to all my guys for their approach, especially defensive, which seemed very solid. However, we made many mistakes that, in view of the next matches, we must review and fix, just to continue our growth path in defense. In attack there was a bit of tension to dissolve, in fact we made many mistakes inside the area: now I expect a good reset, to take a step forward and approach race two in the best possible way ».
GIVOVA SCAFATI – LUX CHIETI78-63
GIVOVA SCAFATI: Gaines 22, Musso 8, Grimaldi ne, Palumbo 2, Marino 3, Thomas 11, Cervi, Rossato11, Sergio 6, Benvenuti 10, Cucci 5. Coach: Alessandro Finelli. Assistant Coach: Di Martino Umberto.
LUX CHIETI: Sodero 7, Meluzzi 8, Graziani 8, Sorokas 9, Williams19, Favali, Ihedioha 7, Bozzetto 3, Piazza 2, Mitt. Coach: Massimo Maffezzoli. Assistant Coaches: Di Paolo Giuseppe and Perricci Roberto.
REFEREES:Scrima Alberto Maria of Catanzaro, Bartolomeo Antonio of Cellino san Marco (Br), Costa Alessandro of Livorno.