Cantù Collapses After Halftime Against Trento
Frank Vitucci’s Acqua S.Bernardo suffered a loss in its first game of the Valtellina Summer League. After a strong first half, which the blue-and-whites ended with a lead, Cantù faltered in the second half and allowed Trento to mount a comeback, with Trento ultimately winning 96-77.
Acqua S.Bernardo took the court without Parravicini, who is following a personalized training program with the blue-and-white staff to recover from the injury he sustained in Tortona, but with Semaj Christon back in the lineup, having rejoined the team yesterday while wearing a protective nose guard. Trento got off to a better start, approaching the game with great intensity and immediately taking control of the action. Cantù, however, stayed close and took the lead in the second half of the quarter thanks to a three-pointer by Flagg. Moraschini and Flagg again extended Cantù’s lead. After one quarter, Acqua S.Bernardo led 29–24.
Christon led the blue-and-whites in the opening minutes of the quarter, while Flagg gave Cantù its largest lead at +8. Bertini tried to bring Trento back, but it was once again the two Americans who kept Cantù in the lead. Flagg hits a three-pointer to give Cantù its first double-digit lead of the game. Forray answers, but it’s Flagg again—with 19 points at halftime—who allows Acqua S.Bernardo to head into the break up 55-42.
The second half begins with a 10-0 run by Trento. Coach Vitucci called a timeout, but L’Aquila tied the score with Niang and even took the lead thanks to Brown. Grazulis broke the deadlock for Cantù. The remainder of the quarter was fiercely contested, with neither team able to take control of the game. In the end, it was Olivari who allowed Trento to close out the half ahead, 65-70.
Trento started the final quarter with confidence and extended its lead to double digits. Miles tries to spark a rally for Acqua S.Bernardo, but the Bianconeri continue to shoot exceptionally well from three-point range and pull away to a +20 lead. The game plays out this way until the final buzzer, which seals Trento’s 77-96 victory.
Of note is an injury to Leonardo Okeke, who landed awkwardly during a play in the first quarter and remained on the bench for the rest of the game.
