Maxima Roma beats ASVEL in Cagliari
Maxima Roma claimed a prestigious third-place finish in the 16th edition of the “City of Cagliari” International Basketball Tournament. On the court at PalaPirastu, the Rome-based team, led from the bench by Coach Matteo Cotelli, claimed the third-place game by defeating the French team LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 84–78 after 40 intense minutes marked by constant lead changes.
The start of the game was marked by perfect parity. The two teams sized each other up thoroughly without managing to create any significant runs; the contest was a back-and-forth battle in the paint and a battle for rebounds. ASVEL tried to pull ahead 18–16 by capitalizing on a few mistakes by the Romans, but toward the end of the first quarter, Maxima regrouped, tied the score, and closed out the first quarter at 20–20.
The second quarter closely mirrors the first for much of the way. The game remained deadlocked, with both teams continuing to keep each other in check. It took a late-quarter surge from Cotelli’s squad to break down the French defense and head into halftime up by 4 (43-39).
The second half offered a few more thrills. Rome starts strong and, bit by bit, builds its largest lead, reaching +7 (57–52) with 90 seconds left in the third quarter. ASVEL, however, demonstrated its European caliber: two consecutive three-pointers ignited the French team, which retook the lead and closed out the third quarter ahead 63-59.
In the final 10 minutes, however, Maxima’s determination took center stage. Coach Tony Parker tried to shake up his team with a constant rotation of substitutions in search of the ideal starting five. Despite the hot hands of Washington, Cale, Massa, and Waters, Rome’s defensive pressure on the other end raised their shooting percentages and threw ASVEL’s offense into disarray. At the decisive moment, the Romans relied on the experience and reliability of Ryan (the team’s leading scorer with 15 points), Alibegovic (13), Veronesi (13), Bilan (11), and Camara (11), sealing the decisive run to a final score of 84-78.
BOX SCORE
MAXIMA ROMA – ASVEL VILLEURBANNE 84-78
(20-20, 43-39, 59-63)
MAXIMA ROMA: Brown 4, Bilan 11, Holiday, Alibegovic 13, Lemar, Veronesi 13, Moon 6, Dozic, Bonacini 7, Wheatle 4, Camara 11, Ryan 15. Head Coach: Cotelli.
ASVEL VILLEURBANNE: Cale 14, Fodzo Dada 5, Washington 13, Agot Fortes, Massa 10, Jackson 7, Bassoumba 4, Gach 4, Bolomboy 2, Pons 7, Waters 12. Head Coach: Parker.
