The Trieste-Brindisi match closes the tenth day of Serie A, pitting two teams against each other in a crescendo of form and fluidity of play. The merciless statistical comparison sees the Apulians ahead 10-1 in Serie A, while in the standings there are only two points that divide the two teams. Trieste has won on only one occasion within the friendly walls (against Sassari on the sixth day), while the Happy Casa has not yet brought home anything away from Brindisi. The role of ex on duty belongs to Luca Campogrande, in the Brindisi shirt in the 2019/2020 season.
Coach Legovich’s starting five is represented by Davis, Bartley, Campogrande, Pacher and Spencer. Vitucci replies with Reed, Mascolo, Burnell, Mezzanotte and Perkins. Time to study some action and it’s immediately “Teddy Bear Toss”, after Bartley’s alley-oop for Spencer: the contribution of the Trieste audience for the children arrives full-bodied on the parquet of the Allianz Dome. The match restarts, but the constant search for Perkins in the paint does not bring points to the guests, who therefore rely on Reed and Burnell, who in an amen bring the match up 5-2. Trieste closes the defense with Spencer, while Davis and Bartley strike on the offensive front, for an 8-0 counter-partial. The charity line gives Reed a point and in the middle of the quarter the scoreboard reads 10-6. The challenge between Davis and Mascolo is interesting, from whose hands several balls pass. Pacher gives the charge to his team by slipping in from a distance, on the other side of the parquet Mascolo and Burnell put themselves on their own, bringing Brindisi back to -1. Ruzzier enters and the pace increases: the red and white n°10 first serves Lever and then slips in from 6 to 75, giving Trieste the maximum advantage over 18-12. The last minute begins with Reed’s basket, which Vildera takes care to balance shortly after from the line. Points still arrive from Bowman, while Gaines’ prayer stops on the second iron, closing the first quarter on 20-16.
The second fraction opens with a triple from Bowman who brings back the guests. A bit of confusion in the red and white house, with Brindisi taking advantage of it by putting his nose forward thanks to Burnell, who gets to the basket twice. The rhythm of the Happy Casa grows, trying to take advantage of the difficult moment in Trieste, which after 3 minutes has not yet inflated the retina. Gaines tries several times to take on the Julian offensive burden, failing several occasions until he finds two points on hand. Guests don’t let go and continue to produce turnover by looking for and finding Perkins near the basket. We are almost in the middle of the quarter when Davis receives from Deangeli and converts the triple to make it 25-25. Riismaa and Perkins on one side, Gaines on the other: back and forth were not wasted in a very pleasant race, with constant changes at the top. The Apulians try to accelerate and escape, finding important baskets with Dixson and Mascolo, but “ours” don’t agree and cling to the game with Bartley’s nails. In the end of the half the decidedly milder rhythm, often broken by trips to the line, does not stop the Mascolo-Perkins axis, which continues to dictate the law on the parquet and allows Brindisi to go to the long rest on +5.
The “usual” Mascolo reopens the dance in the second half and the guests immediately go to +7. The problems in attack continue for Trieste, which does not find the right solutions in the face of a defensively rather compact Brindisi. It takes 3 and a half minutes to see the first points, which arrive from Davis who scores from 6 and 75. Reed’s fourth foul arrives in the Happy Casa, Ruzzier takes the offensive play on his shoulders and brings Trieste back to -2 by directly attacking the iron. However, it is always Brindisi who maintains the inertia of the match, thanks in particular to an unleashed Perkins, who appears to be a particularly difficult client for the red and white defense. Mascolo is no different and even for the No. 14 in the white jersey it’s double figures. Bartley and Davis try to keep Trieste in the game, but under the planks the most numerous arms are those from Brindisi. However, the guests are unable to escape, the hosts – even with the very wet powders – remain once again clinging to the score thanks to the gusts of the little ones. Bowman is a sentence: average basket and triple front for a 5-0 run that officially puts Brindisi on the run. Ruzzier doesn’t fit, he puts one in support of the board and two from the line and the gap goes back to just 4 lengths in the last minute. Riismaa finds the triple of the new +7 from the corner and Bartley’s final assault doesn’t move the score anymore.
The last quarter sees Bowman’s first basket open, Trieste continues to break into the blue-and-white wall of the Brindisi defenders and the guests can thus reach a double-digit advantage, with Bayehe’s free throws and Burnell’s steal, who nails the +13 after 1 and a half minutes. The Ruzzier-Gaines couple plays the charge, trying to drive the group, but the heavy points always come from the other side, with a very inspired Bowman from the bow. Ruzzier’s alley-oop for Spencer and Gaines’ approaching basket bring Trieste back under 10 points behind, at half time the score is 58-67. The red and whites try to strike up a reaction, but the guests now play on velvet, keeping their opponents at a safe distance. Mascolo continues to produce games, while Perkins and partners continue to skillfully transform it into sales. The last minutes are pure garbage time until the final whistle: Brindisi deservedly takes away the two points, for Trieste there is still a lot to do to find some continuity (pallacanestrotrieste.it).
Trieste-Brindisi, the match report
BASKETBALL TRIESTE – HAPPY HOME BRINDISI 66-83
Basketball Trieste:Gaines 18, Pacher 4, Bossi 0, Davis 13, Spencer 4, Rolli ne, Deangeli 2, Ruzzier 9, Campogrande 0, Vildera 2, Bartley 12, Lever 2. Coach: Legovich. Assistants: Maffezzoli, Vicenzutto.
Happy Home Toast : Burnell 13, Reed 9, Bowman 13, Fusco ne, Mascolo 14, Bocevski ne, Midnight 0, Riismaa 5, Bayehe 4, Perkins 24, Dixson 1. Manager: Vitucci. Assistants: Corbani, Consoli.
Partial: 20-16 / 14-23 / 17-19 / 15-25
Progressives: 20-16 / 34-39 / 51-58
Referees:Giovannetti, Bettini, Borgo.
