Fortitudo Super defense wipes out Cantù

FORTUDO

74

CANTù

57

FLATS SERVICE: Fantinelli 4, Bolpin 15, Mian 11, Thomas 5, Freeman 13, Vencato 2, Panni 3, Aradori 17, Battistini, Cusin 4, Bonfiglioli ne. Coach Caja.

ACQUA SAN BERNARDO CANTU': De Nicolao 3, Moraschini 14, Piccoli 3, Basile 8, Hougue 4, Mc Gee 8, Okeke 2, Baldi Rossi 7, Riismaa, Valentini 8. Coach Brienza.

Referees: Costa, Bartolini, Bertuccioli.

Notes: Halftime scores 11-20, 33-37, 56-44. Two-pointers: Fortitudo 16/34; Cantù 11/32. Three-pointers: 10/24; 10/29. Free throws: 12/17; 5/10. Rebounds: 41; 33.

An unstoppable Fortitudo beats Cantù, takes revenge for the defeat in the first leg and scores the sixth win in a row. The eleventh pearl (out of 13 games) with Caja on the bench confirms the strength and solidity of a team that wants to continue its ascent, thanks to a defense that is once again extraordinary and that concedes 20 points in the second half. The match starts with a 15-minute delay due to illness that strikes a spectator in the Calori curve with the intervention of 118. The away fans are missing, but the atmosphere at the PalaDozza is incandescent, already like in the playoffs.

Cantù gets off to a better start, ahead 2-8 at 4' thanks to two triples by Moraschini. Bolpin tries to raise the offensive levels of Effe, who comes back on the trail at 9-10, before Baldi Rossi and Valentini push them back to -9 at 9-18. Fortitudo also ends up at -15 at 14-29 at the start of the second quarter (13'). Caja thus tries to mix things up by reintroducing Mian as a tactical 4, to try to widen the field in front of the physicality of Cantù, allowed all too much by the referees, provoking the protest of the white-blue coach and the team. The 5.200 at PalaDozza raise the tone even more and Effe responds by placing a partial of 11-2 and gets back into the game at 30-34 at 18'.

At the beginning of the second half, Effe overturns the challenge, taking the lead for the first time 43-42 at 14'. On the field there is only Caja's team that scores a 17-0 break, extending the lead to 21-2, for the 54-42 that at 27' breaks the challenge. At the beginning of the last fraction, two triples by Mc Gee bring the score to 56-50 and seem to reopen the contest. Fortitudo is and confirms itself once again as a solid team, with depth and quality, holds the bar straight, takes control of the challenge 64-50 at 35' and scores a victory that allows it to reduce the gap from the top of the standings.

Fortitudo will be back on the field on Sunday, again at the PalaDozza this time against Vigevano.