Matteo Cotelli knows in what ways Trieste was superior to Brescia
The defeat of Germani Brescia, folded 83-77 at PalaRubini by Pallacanestro Trieste, gives Matteo Cotelli no peace of mind. The Lombards’ coach does not turn around the merits of the opponents for taking the challenge all the way to the decisive Game 5, also framing the keys to his team’s knockout.
“I want to congratulate Trieste, which managed to win this game by putting so much energy on the court that it prevented us from tying it in the second half,” Cotelli admitted. “We, in order to pull it off, would have had to increase the level of our physicality a lot, but we were not good at it. We are missing some small details, we need to put more energy into it. Because we were only able to do that at intervals. Particularly in the third period we were not up to it. Now we have to win Game 5 in Brescia, we are ready to do it. As a Brescian, I invite all the people of Brescia to fill the palazzetto to cheer this team. For this year’s run, I think the group deserves it.”
On the other side of the court, coach Francesco Taccetti pointed to defense as the key to Julian’s success: “Holding a team like that to only 77 points means playing a great game on defense. I believe this is the key.” The Trieste coach added, “In a playoff series it is crucial to defend well even on the next play where you got a basket. Trieste has shown that it can do that. Then you also have to be polished on offense, because depending on what the opponents do, they can change the themes game after game. Both we and Brescia are playing a lot on details. In the end who will prevail will be the one who will have more energy in the decisive moments.”
The result of Game 4 reverses what happened in Game 3, when it was Brescia that imposed 84-80 at the PalaTrieste dragged by Miro Bilan’s 20 points and 12 rebounds and the all-around performance of Jason Burnell, author of 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. On that occasion, the 18 points scored by both Markel Brown and Colbey Ross and Joshua Bannan’s 17 were not enough for Trieste.
The stakes of Game 5 are very high: the winner of the confrontation will face in the semifinals Olimpia Milano, which has already closed its round by eliminating Reggio Emilia with a clear 3-0 win. Cotelli had anticipated the difficulty of this challenge already on the eve of Game 4, showing that he did not trust the advantage in the series: “Trieste is with its back to the wall: I am sure it will do everything possible to try to win in front of its public, always warm and passionate, to take the series to Game 5.” Words turned out to be prophetic.
In Trieste’s house, an extra weapon carries the name of Jahmi’us Ramsey. The American guard born in 2001 graduated as the best scorer of the regular season with 540 total points, winning the Antonello Riva Trophy – Climamio with an average of 19.3 points per game, solid percentages from every area of the court and no less than 18 performances above 20 points. An offensive terminal that, in the decisive moments of a game-5, could make the difference and that Brescia will necessarily have to keep under control if it wants to close the series in front of its audience.
