Dinamo loses in Pesaro 81-75: Sassari still out of the Italian Cup Final 8
Bucchi's team's travel pain continues
No encore of victories, away games remain taboo for Banco di Sardegna which also loses in Pesaro: 81-75. Sassari paid above all for the disastrous percentages from the line: 8/17, where the hosts made 16/20.
The defeat leaves Bucchi's team out of the first eight, those that access the Italian Cup.
Dinamo got off to a good start thanks to a more involved Stephens in attack and Jones as usual: 8-10 on 6. The point guard Robinson however has a cold hand with shooting and loses a few too many balls, Pesaro goes on (18-14) save then be caught up and overtaken by a triple from Bendzius and a dunk recovery from Stephens.
In the second quarter the Gentile-Diop agreement works and Banco goes up +4 twice, but Pesaro relies on the paceless triples by Abdur-Rahkman and Cheatham for a small break: 36-31 for the hosts in the 16th minute . The return of Jones restores tone to the biancoblù attack, but by now the top scorer of the championship has gone wild and rises to 16 points and Sassari goes again to -5.
At the rest, Sassari falls behind us by 4 lengths only due to the 3/9 of the free throws, compared to the 8/10 of the Marches.
Upon returning, the match remained balanced: Banco shyly looked ahead a couple of times, but then Pesaro came back thanks to the class of Abdur-Rahkman and the many free throws earned: 56-49 in the 26th minute. Meanwhile Robinson comes out touching his left knee. With Chessa and Diop the defense improves and Sassari places a 9-0 break with Bendzius and slalom by Nikolic, but the percentages from the line remain horrendous: 6/15 and it is again -1 at the end of the third fraction.
The last quarter opens with triples by Visconti and Mazzola: -7. Coach Bucchi reassembles the starting five, including Robinson, with the sole exception of Gentile in place of Kruslin. But Kravic dominated inside the area and the gap widened: 74-66 in the 36th minute. In the final Pesaro has enthusiasm and Banco even reaches -13 before Bendzius and Robinson limit something.
The tables
Carpegna Prosciutto Pesaro: Kravic 12 Abdur-Rahkman 27 Visconti 6 Moretti 5 Stazzonelli ne, Mazzola 6 Gudmundsson 6 Charalampopoulos 8 Totè 3 Cheatham 8 Delfino ne All. Repesa.
Banco di Sardegna Sassari: Jones 13 Robinson 15 Kruslin 9 Gandini ne, Devecchi, Treier 2 Chessa, Bendzius 18 Gentile 3 Diop 6 Nikolic 3 Stephens 6 All. Bucchi.
