Breathless victory for the Herons. Arrigoni is decisive in the photo finish

Referees: Silvestri and Di Gennaro

Notes: partials 14-17, 42-30, 58-48

Coach Federico Barsotti had given the warning to sailors: seeing the not always brilliant performances by the Fabo Herons Montecatini you'll have to get used to it. There are also lights and shadows in the fourth consecutive victory against a patched-up team Fabriano (74-71) by Niccolai, which the "herons" risk throwing away several times before catching it again with 1.5 seconds left. What matters in the end is that Montecatini is preparing for the last decisive month of the regular season with the wind in its sails, at least in terms of results.

Fabriano's zone immediately suffocates the Herons attack, Kupstas tries to punish it several times from outside but the Lithuanian does not seem inspired. Trapani is instead inspired and from behind the arc stamps the first rossoblù overtaking, immediately nullified by the 4-0 signed by Pierotti-Centanni. First quarter with not excellent technical content and Fabo rather distracted: Natali lets the ball be stolen by Gnecchi who in turn sets up Scanzi's triple for the first advantage at two possessions for the Marche team (12-17). A mini-break all by Paesano at the dawn of the second quarter allows the home team to put the arrow, Gnecchi however is a magpie and makes the most of every mistake of the thermal defense: "herons" still forced to chase at least until Clare does not give the alarm by inspiring a new partial of 7-0 that is worth +5 Montecatini (33-28). With 12 points in the quarter the Argentine takes the scene and riding the talent of his number 6 Fabo finally unlocks.

At half time the general rehearsal of the escape has already begun: 42-30, and the red and blue taximeter continues to run even after returning from the locker rooms, while Fabriano seems to have lost fluidity in attack. Arrigoni's basket on an assist from Kupstas allows Barsotti's team to take off, shortly after the former Rimini player and the Baltic player switch roles: dunk pass from 12 for the layup from "Kup" who unlocks and also signs the maximum advantage (+19), before Montecatini falls asleep a bit and Fabriano punishes them, returning to the threshold of 10 points of difference. Not even Gnecchi's fourth foul gives the Herons a bit of respite, because Pisano scores a triple for 58-48 that leaves everything in the balance. Luckily for Fabo there is Chiera: another 6 points from the Argentine push Fabriano back but do not completely throw them off track, indeed thanks to two final minutes of thermal madness the Marche team equalises with 14 seconds to go thanks to the "bombs" of Centanni and Pierotti. To take it home the Herons draw the joker with the triple almost at the end of Arrigoni, which until now traveled at 1/35 from long range.

Filippo Palazzoni