Fortitudo Bologna-Cantù 74-68, Effe dominates and flies to the tiebreaker

Bologna, May 17, 2025 – A great Fortitude beats Cantù 74-68 and takes it to the tiebreaker. The decisive match scheduled will decide who between Flats Service and Acqua S. Bernardo will advance to the next round Tuesday night at PalaDesio. Defense, character, determination, it was the Freeman-Gabriel duo's match for a long time, but in the end it was decided by captain Matteo Fantinelli who scored 7 consecutive decisive points in the final minutes. Also in the front row to watch the challenge was the CEO of Bologna Fc, Claudio Fenucci, applauded by the entire PalaDozza. On the pitch Attilio Caja relies on to the usual quintet with Fantinelli, Bolpin, Mian, Gabriel, Freeman. On the other side, Brienza tries to mix things up with De Nicolao, McGee, Piccoli, Basile and Hogue to start. The match starts on the edge of balance with Cantù taking the lead, but Fortitudo is well attached to the match and finds the first overtaking on Kenny Gabriel's triple for 10-9.

It's still the American forward who gives the lead shock on the next triple. Fortitudo extends the all-American Gabriel-Freeman axis, reaching +9, at 22-13 at 8', with Brienza forced to ask for time. A subsequent free throw by Freeman is worth +10, the advantage always remains around double digits, with Aradori, Mian and Panni keeping Effe ahead, who also reaches +11 at 30-19 at 12'. Moraschini and Basile reduce the distance, 32-28 with Fortitudo starting to struggle a bit in attack. To revive the situation there is a bandaged, with elbow and finger of the right hand, Gabriel with his third triple of the evening, followed shortly after by Freeman for the 39-28 with which we go to the interval.

On the Brianza side, however, the long-distance shooting option just doesn't seem to work. After Basile's first long-distance basket of the challenge, in fact, 9 consecutive errors arrive from Brianza. In the second half, Cantù tries to stay in the match, but Fortitudo still relies on the verve of its Americans with Gabriel who seems like a long-distance basket machine and Freeman who cleans the place under the basket. At the last break, Fortitudo is still ahead by 11 on 55-44. In the last fraction of the game, despite half the team Gabriel, Bolpin, Panni and Freeman at 4 fouls, the extraordinary defensive intensity of the white-blues does not decrease.

The little table

FORTITUDO BOLOGNA-CANTU' 74-68 FLATS SERVICE BOLOGNA: Fantinelli 14, Bolpin 1, Mian 6, Gabriel 25, Freeman 18; Panni 3, Aradori 3, Cusin 4, Sabatini n/a, Battistini n/a, Ferrucci Morandi n/a, Bonfiglioli n/a. Coach Caja. ACQUA S. BERNARDO CANTU': De Nicolao, McGee 17, Piccoli 5, Basile 18, Hogue 5; Valentini 5, Riismaa, Baldi Rossi 5, Moraschini 11, Okeke 2. Coach Brienza. Referees: Vita, Berlangeri, Centonza. Notes: partial scores 25-17, 39-28, 55-44. Two-point shots: Fortitudo 16/27; Cantù 13/29. Three-Pointers: 8/29; 9/30. Free Throws: 18/21; 15/23. Rebounds: 38; 35.