Trent passes Varese and stays in the lead

Trento passes Varese and stays in the lead

Dolomiti Energia Trentino, after a balanced first half, took the lead in the second half even touching +19 and won on the Masnago parquet with a score of 79-92. With this success, the bianconeri secure the first place in the standings alone ahead of the Final Eight of the Italian Cup and the FIBA window. MVP of the night Quinn Ellis, author of an all-around performance with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. The Bianconeri’s top scorer Jordan Ford with 19 points, followed by Myles Cale and Anthony Lamb with 14 apiece and Eigirdas Zukauskas with 9. Varese didn’t need just 19 points from former Davide Alviti and a monstrous performance by Alex Tyus, who finished with 35 rating as a result of 17 points and 18 rebounds. The Bianconeri will return to the court at the Final Eight of the Italian Cup, where they will face Reggio Emilia in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Inalpi Arena in Turin.

Live the Cup LIVE! Aquila Basket has organized a coach for HCL fans who want to follow the team to Turin for the quarterfinals against Reggio Emilia, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 13. The seats are selling out: less than 15 when the second coach sold out. Tickets are also on sale for the next home game against Bertram Derthona Tortona, scheduled for Saturday, March 1° at 8 p.m.

THE STORY – Dolomiti Energia Trentino starts with Ellis, Cale, Pecchia, Lamb and Mawugbe while Varese responds with: Librizzi, Hands, Alviti, Johnson and Akoubundu-Ehiogu.

The first two points of the match were scored by Mawugbe at the buzzer, after the HCL offense had managed to move the red and white defense. Soon after, Ellis retaliates from the mid-range. Varese unlocks its scoreboard with Akoubundu-Ehiogu, but Ellis immediately responds by going all the way for two more points. The long Varese player scores again, but Pecchia puts Trento back ahead with the 4-8 basket. Cale also gets on the scoreboard with a pull-up jumper from the lunette, followed by Lamb, who scores by getting fouled and makes the additional free. Varese breaks the 0-7 streak with the first two points of the evening’s ex, Davide Alviti. Myles Cale signs another three-point play for +10, then Librizzi backs two points to the glass. Ford strikes again, but the red and white captain responds with a triple. Varese gets back to -5, but Anthony Lamb extends with a front three on a pick-and-pop situation. Alviti scores again, followed by Sykes with a two-point basket. The hosts find rhythm from the’arc with two consecutive triples, first by Gray and then by Hans, putting them up 25-23 and forcing coach Galbiati to timeout. Trento misses several open shots, but with Mawugbe’s support, it closes the first quarter tied at 25-25.

Ellis opens the second quarter with two points, but Varese responds immediately with Gray’s triple. Trento reacts with Cale’s triple and Mawugbe’s dunk, getting back to +4 and forcing coach Mandole to timeout. Zukauskas breaks free from the’corner and soon after Ellis finds Pecchia with a great backdoor assist for two easy points. Alviti shortens with a tough triple at the buzzer, but Ellis answers from the line with a perfect 2/2. Ford responds to Librizzi’s basket, who soon after also scores by getting fouled. Niang places a spectacular stoppage, and in transition Zukauskas signs the triple for the maximum lead. Sykes tries to stop the bleeding for Varese, but Lamb and again Zukauskas stretch it to 36-52. The first half ends with Trento ahead 38-52.

Pecchia opens the second half with two points, taking advantage of an inattention by Varese’s defense. Soon after, Lamb hits from the mid-range for the new HCL lead. The hosts come back to score with Davide Alviti, followed by Tyus who signs four consecutive points, but Niang responds with a powerful two-handed dunk after an excellent cut on Ford’s penetration. Johnson brings Varese back to -11, but Ford retaliates with a 2/2 from the lunette. Johnson again, this time with a triple, shortens the gap, but Ford immediately responds with a basket in support while also being fouled by Tyus. Ford himself continues his show and makes a perfect 3/3 at the free, while Hands tries to keep Varese in the game. Lamb scores two more points, to which Niang immediately responds. Hands è still accurate from the lunette, but Ford closes the quarter with a triple of pure talent. At the third buzzer, Dolomiti Energia Trentino leads 57-74.

Cale opens the’last quarter with two points, but Tyus immediately responds with a basket at the buzzer, only to retaliate shortly after with a backboard support. Cale hits from the’arc with a big triple, but Alviti responds in kind. Niang finds the bottom of the net with an elegant dribble, stop and shoot. Ellis retaliates to Alviti, while Johnson scores from the center of the’area. Soon after, Ellis attacks the iron and brings Trento back to +17, forcing Coach Mandole to timeout. Tyus tries to keep Varese alive with another three points, but Ellis immediately responds by scoring on penetration, getting fouled and converting the extra free. In the finale, triples by Alviti and Johnson allow Varese to reduce the gap, but Dolomiti Energia Trentino controls and closes the game on 79-92.

OPENJOBMETIS VARESE-DOLOMITI ENERGIA TRENTO 79-92 (25-25, 38-52; 57-74)

Openjobmetis Varese: Akoubundu-Ehiogu 6, Alviti 19, Gray 6, Tyus 17, Sykes 4, Librizzi 7, Virginio N.E, Reghenzani N.E, Assui 1, Fall N.E, Hands 7, Johnson 12.  Coach Mandole.

Dolomiti Energia Trentino: Ellis 15, Cale 14, Ford 19, Pecchia 6, Niang 8, Forray, V. Triggiani, Mawugbe 7, Lamb 14, Zukauskas 9. Coach Galbiati.

Paolo GALBIATI (Coach Dolomiti Energia Trentino): «We had a good performance, respecting everything we set out to do. We went through a few difficult days after the Istanbul game because of Bayehe’s injury, which brought a veil of sadness within the group, because this is a team that is great together. Today we asked the guys to be solid, not to turn on Librizzi and to avoid conceding dunks to their longs. We did a great job on Hands and, after a first quarter in which we got a little bit caught up in the frenzy, we were compact and brought home a very important win».