Avellino plays the tenth
Sportal.it
Sidigas Avellino does not stop anymore. Coach Pino Sacripanti’s lineup scores its 10th consecutive league victory thanks to a painful success against Enel Brindisi (82-89), embroiled in the fight for a spot in the upcoming playoffs, and moves back to 4th place in the standings. Despite heavy absences, the Irpinian wolves found 31 invaluable points from the usual James Nunnally, who with a stellar fourth period crushed the hosts’ resistance and extended the incredible green-and-white streak.
After Anosike’s basket that breaks the initial balance, the white-and-white solo begins at PalaPentassuglia with Nunnally and Ragland pushing Sidigas to a comfortable +8 (9-17). If on the one hand it is the former Estudiantes who makes the difference, among the Enel ranks it is Adrian Banks who comes to the fore and tries to bring his team back in touch with 8 invaluable points. Avellino, however, shows once again that it has become a mature and fearsome team and, with Veikalas’ bombs and Acker’s reads, escapes on +17 that forces an astonished Piero Bucchi to call time-out (16-33).
The former Olimpia Milano coach’s reprimand and the switch to zone defense woke up the hosts who, with four bombs in a row, posted a 12-0 super partial that totally reopened the game. Enel’s comeback materialized with 15 points from an inspired Cournooh that allowed Brindisi to go to halftime up 42-43.
The Pugliesi’s excellent momentum continues when hostilities resume: Banks and Scott seal the first home lead since the initial 2-0, but Nunnally and Leunen respond with great temperament without being intimidated by a glowing PalaPentassuglia. The pace on the parquet is very high and the two offenses score almost every possession always in balance until the Italian soul of Enel tries to launch the first real white-blue breakaway.
The last 10 minutes opened, however, with the two teams in perfect parity: Veikalas hit from the 6.75m arc and Cervilotta under the boards, on the other side Cournooh continued his night of grace and no one seemed able to build a solid margin of safety. To prevail, at the end of the last 5 minutes of fire, is Sacripanti’s lineup, pushed by the magic of a simply unstoppable James Nunnally: 31 points and 8/12 from the field.
In collaboration with basketissimo.com
