Basketball Serie A, the results: Trento and Brescia win

Gianmarco Calvaresi and Matteo Briolini

December 22 – 10.42pm – MILANO

Six matches on Sunday in Serie A, which will see the twelfth round end tomorrow with the match between Milan and Sassari. Sunday in which Trento's umpteenth show of strength stands out (11-1), which wins the big match against Virtus (8-4) and immediately redeems the defeat against the Sharks. Dolomiti Energia thus celebrates their arithmetic access to the Final Eight of the Italian Cup, as does Brescia (10-2), which passes to Taliercio 90-89 against Venezia (4-8) thanks to a super Bilan. Reggio Emilia continues to fly (9-3), which also beats Varese (3-9) and joins Virtus in fourth place in the standings, while Sassari (5-7) interrupts the magical moment of Treviso (6-6), winning 96-94. Napoli (1-11) celebrates their first victory of the season by beating Scafati (4-8) in overtime, and Pistoia falls at home 93-89 against Tortona despite 24 points from Forrest.

TRENTO-BOLOGNA 87-79

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High intensity immediately at the Il T Quotidiano Arena: the teams pick up the pace and exchange triples with Lamb and Cale on one side, Polonara, Pajola and Cordinier on the top. Virtus begins to raise its defensive game in the second quarter, taking advantage of a few too many turnovers from the home team and repeatedly reaching the line. Ivanovic's team thus builds a double-digit lead and closes the first half at 52-41. Upon leaving the locker rooms, however, Galbiati's team completely changes face and overwhelms the Vu-Nere with a sensational run of 18-0. First Ellis then Lamb, very hot offensively, launch Trento's comeback, which also takes advantage of the excellent impact of Toto Forray and Jordan Ford to run away, even reaching +9 thanks to a third from 25-5. The Virtus attack, however, is completely out of gear, paying for the Euroleague struggles and the absences of Shengelia and Clyburn. In the last 10 minutes, with Bologna attempting to regain pride, Trento manages to stay ahead above all thanks to the crazy intensity of offensive rebounding: 19-7 the count in favor of the league leaders, 5 of which from Miles Cale alone. And if the triple from a super Lamb seemed to have closed the game, Belinelli's response brought Virtus back to -3 with 24'' left: it was Cale again, cold from the line, who sealed Trento's eleventh victory of the season.

Trento: Lamb 21, Cale 17, Ford 13

Bologna: Cordinier 16, Pajola 13, Belinelli 10

VENICE-BRESCIA 89-90

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Poeta's men started better, involving the big men, Bilan and Ndour, who raised their voices under the scoreboards and set up Brescia's first escape, on +7. To the good work under the boards we must add an inspired Della Valle, who stings from beyond the arc. Venezia responds to Ivanovic and his teammates, with a run of 8-0, which puts them back at -2. At the end of the first half Wiltjer and Parks lit up and gave Reyer the lead in the 20th minute, 45-43. It is always the orogranata number 33 who takes on the offensive responsibilities for the home team. Germani responds with the usual Bilan Ivanovic and Della Valle. The teams exchange partials but the race seems to have no owner. With 150'' remaining, Spahija's team is ahead 81-78. The guests take the lead again 86-84 in the 40th minute, but Reyer brings the score back to -1 with Ennis. The lagoon players did not take advantage of a sensational turnover by Brescia on the throw-in and Della Valle sealed the victory for the Lombards.

Venezia: Ennis 26, Parks 22, Wiltjer 15

Brescia: Bilan 23, Ivanovic and Della Valle 16, Ndour 13

SASSARI-TREVISO 96-94

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Balanced start at PalaSerradimigni. It is Paulicap who tries to launch the Nutribullet, together with Bowman and Harrison. Tambone Fobbs and Vincini keep Banco di Sardegna in their wake. Mascolo and Alston come forward with shots for Vitucci, who sees his team end the first half ahead by 6 points 51-45. Upon returning from the break, Markovic's team scored a 15-0 break, to which Macura, Paulicap and Mezzanotte responded, putting the guests back into the game. We arrive at the end with the home team ahead 88-85. Bibbins takes advantage of Mascolo's error and scores the score 91-87 with 1' to go. Harrison takes control of his team, bringing them to a draw at 94 with 10'' to go. It is always the number 22 of the Sardinians who is the most lucid and closes the match from the line.

Sassari: Bibbins 22, Halilovic 20, Bendzius 16

Treviso: Harrison 22, Mascolo 16, Bowman 15

PISTOIA-TORTONA 89-93

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The guests immediately started strong, with Severini and Strautins, even reaching +11, but Paschall, Kemp and Rowan put the hosts back down by 2 towards the end of the first quarter. It is always the former Golden State who drags the Tuscans, who also move ahead at 39-36. Markovski's team also reaches +7, but suffers a 15-0 run, which puts De Raffaele's men ahead, 51-45. Christon catches Bertram again, who had tried to make a final escape at the start of the second half, sealing a 7-0 break for Estra. The guests close the game again, after a bomb from Strautins, which puts twelve points between the teams. Paschall and Forrest reduce the deficit, but it's not enough.

Pistoia: Forrest 24, Paschall 16, Rowan 13

Tortona: Vital 21, Strautins 16, Kamagate 14

NAPLES-SCAFATI 96-94 aet

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Endless emotions at the Fruit Village Arena, where it was a tap-in from Leonardo Totè that brightened up Napoli's Christmas: Valli's team in fact found their first victory of the season by beating Scafati in overtime, thus interrupting the very heavy series of eleven consecutive defeats . A match that Napoli led from the start, thanks to the continuous offensive initiatives of Jacob Pullen and the physicality of Totè. Givova's comeback comes with 20 points from Pinkins and 25 from Rob Gray, who thanks to a penetrating basket equalizes at 82 and sends the game to overtime. The match seems to be on track again thanks to Pullen's triple one minute from the end, which puts five points between the two teams, but Sorokas and Cinciarini bring everything back into balance. In the last possession, it was Pullen again who took the decisive driving layup, attracting a double: on his mistake, only Totè launched himself and put it to the basket and exploded the Neapolitan joy.

Napoli: Pullen 28, Totè 21, Pangos 11

Scafati: Gray 25, Pinkins 20, Cinciarini 16

Reggio Emilia continues to fly, crushing Varese and scoring their sixth consecutive victory in the championship. Great team performance for Priftis' team, which built its first lead in the initial part of the match and then spread in the second half. Six players in double figures for Unahotels, with Cassius Winston best scorer at 21 and 3/4 from behind the arc, in a dominant evening in the area for Reggio Emilia (29/49 from 2 against just 29 shots taken by Varese). Nothing to do for Openjobmetis, however, who took 11 more triples than the hosts, but converted with 30.6%, and suffered the superiority of Reggio Emilia in rebounds (45 to 33). Jaron Johnson's 16 points and Alviti's 15 from the bench were not enough: Varese immediately returned to defeat after the feat against Milan.

Reggio Emilia: Winston 21, Barford 17, Cheatham 14

Varese: Johnson 16, Alviti 15, Hands 12