Three decisive races lost in the sprint make it a test. After the chances thrown against Reggio Emilia (85-81 defeat in extra time) and Pesaro (75-73), the internal knockout against Venice 63-66 also arrived, which was a sort of play-off for fourth place. Unfortunately won by De Raffaele's team who, together with Tortona, reached +4 on the Sassari team.
The games for fourth and fifth place now seem to be done with only three days to play, in reality four for Sassari who must recover against Virtus Bologna. Only a sensational en plein by biancoblù would allow them to have the chance to catch a more favorable pairing in the quarter-Scudetto.
Three victories, on the other hand, will guarantee sixth place but not mathematically, because in the event of a tied finish only with Reggio Emilia, the Emilians who, in the face of parity in head-to-head matches, have +1 in the points balance. Instead, the three-way finish with Trieste and Reggio Emilia rewards Banco di Sardegna thanks to the better balance.
In any case, you have to win immediately on Sunday in Naples, otherwise the playoffs are even put at risk.
Finals to be managed better - With the regular season approaching its conclusion, it is clear that the clarity of Bucchi's team in the final sprint with one or two baskets is clear: three wins (Varese with Logan as protagonist, Fortitudo Bologna with Bilan and Gentile's free players, Milan with Robinson's entry) at the source of six defeats, because to those against Reggio Emilia, Pesaro and Venice must be added those against Naples (74-75), Virtus Bologna (102-100 after an extra) and Tortona (83-87) where the biancoblù have wasted their last shots.
So far a reliable player has not emerged for the last shot, if Gentile is excluded from the line in the Cavina management's success over Pesaro.
Maybe now that Bilan is here we could work better to get the ball to him in the final stages. In Pesaro the Croatian center made it 2/2 in the last quarter, but he saw very little of the balls, because the three outside players shot a lot, probably too much. Against Venezia Bilan made 3/4 in the two-pointers of the last quarter (including the overtaking basket in the 38th minute) and 1/2 on the free throws, but in the last two minutes he didn't see the ball and they only shot Logan and Robinson.
