Chieti wins and convinces against a never tame Stella Azzurra Rome
The red and white, after Guidonia’s misstep against Eurobasket, return to victory in a male match.
On his day of celebration (100 appearances and 1000 points with the red and white jersey), the red and white top scorer is captain Meluzzi (20 points and 3 assists), while the capitoline top scorers are Ghirlanda and Nikolic (14 points).
At the start of the match, Lux, after going down (0-2 with Raspino’s free throws), scores a 5-0 run with Meluzzi’s triple and Bartoli’s dunk (5-2 after less than a minute and a half game).
Rome takes the measures and places a break of 0-6, interrupted by Bartoli (7-8 after just under three and a half minutes from the two-ball).
Rome, after having reached the maximum advantage (7-12 at the halfway point), sees the vehement Theatine reaction that at 02:30 from the end of the quarter finds the +2 with the jumper of Amici (16-14).
Salvioni scores for his team but the fourth quarter final is red and white and, with Dincic’s triple (21-16), the first clear mini break is reached.
Rome returns to the parquet with the right attitude and with a stratospheric Ghirlanda (11 points in as many minutes, 5 at the start of the quarter) grabs the tie in less than a minute and a half of play (21-21).
Meluzzi scores in the line, Ghirlanda responds present but Dincic’s 2/2 time trial puts Chieti back on after less than two minutes of play (25-23).
Chieti increases the laps in defense and, with the bombs of Meluzzi and Woldetensae, forces coach D’Arcangeli to timeout (31-23 at 06:58 from the long break).
The Roman attack is in the breaking phase and only Ghirlanda manages to worry the Theatine defense, the red and white are precise with the clock stopped and run on the counterattack, coming back with Amici’s free to touch +14 (40-26 to 03: 43 from the end of the quarter).
Chieti loses a few too many balls and Roma makes a big rebound, with Maffezzoli who wants to talk about it with his team (42-32 at 01:35 from the long interval).
Roma reaches -7 with Marcius but Lux responds with a 1/2 from the line by Amici: at the twentieth the result is 43-35 for the hosts.
Lux restarts with great intensity and places an important 12-1 break in just over three and a half minutes of hostility (55-36), with coach D’Arcangeli calling a timeout.
The attacks of both teams dramatically their percentages and so, to review a basket, you have to wait for the 1/2 from Jackson’s lunatta (03:50 from the last mini break 56-36).
The unrealistic comeback attempts of the Romans are contained by the red and white and, with the 1/2 from the lunette of captain Meluzzi, the thirtieth is reached at 63-43.
Chieti touches the +24 at the beginning of the fourth and now the game has little to say: despite this, Rome does not give up and abundantly mends the gap, taking the -15 to just under two minutes from the end of the match, with coach Maffezzoli calling timeout after a powerful dunk by Menalo (73-58).
Innocenti and Marcius respond to a 3-point game by Lips: at the fortieth, the scoreboard reads 76-62 for the Theatine team.
LUX CHIETI BASKET – STELLA AZZURRA ROMA 76-62 (21-16; 43-35; 63-43)
LUX CHIETI BASKETBALL 1974 76: Tsetserukou 5, Woldetensae 6, Klacar 0, Bartoli 13, Lips 8, Amici 8, Meluzzi 20, Dincic 13, Jackson 3, Graziani NE.
STELLA AZZURRA ROMA 62: Innocenti 4, Nikolic 14, Ghirlanda 14, Barbante 0, Menalo 8, Raspino 5, Pugliatti 7, Maglietti 0, Marcius 8, Visentin 0, Salvioni 2, Ndzie NE.
Federico Ionata – Lux Chieti Basket Communication Staff 1974