Basketball, Under 16 European Championships: San Marino hurray against Malta (59-44)
Great victory of the San Marino Under 16 national team at the Division C European Championships in progress in Kosovo. Coach Porcarelli’s boys play a splendid game and beat Malta 59-44, thus gaining the first success of this event after the narrow defeat of the debut with Albania. For the biancazzurri the top scorer is Tommaso Botteghi, who brings together 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 steals. Then Thomas Gasperoni, who finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Tomorrow evening, at 20.30, challenge the Kosovo hosts.
THE CHRONICLE. The first basket is by Pace, with Malta starting ahead and replicating the lead at 4-5 in the 5 ‘. There is balance, with Bianchi overtaking for San Marino and with the match finding himself at 8-7 at the end of the first period. Gasperoni finds pace at the beginning of the second quarter, but the match is still very close and Malta with Fabri and Caruana puts the arrow back on 12-15 in the 14th minute. At that point the San Marino attack finds better percentages and rises in tone: Botteghi puts in important baskets and Rossini’s basket is worth the 8-0 break that overturns the match (20-15 at 16 ‘). At half-time San Marino commands with authority but the game is still to be played (27-21).
Back from the locker rooms Pace tries to mend but our boys play effectively and with great conviction. Rhythm and confidence, with Ronci’s triple giving him a double-digit advantage over 34-23 in the 23rd minute. San Marino is a running train, Marinelli scores two free throws and the advantage widens out of all proportion to 40-23 in the 27th minute. Well-recorded defense and attack, great race and an advantage that remains 17 points even in the third quarter with a left-handed touch from Pagliarani (43-26). In the fourth set Malta tries it all out and manages to get to -6 on Caruana’s triple and Depiro’s layup (45-39 at 34 ‘), but San Marino reacts, gets back into gear and flies over ten margin, closing on an excellent 59-44.
Lots of applause, good guys !!!
The Scoreboard
SAN MARINO – MALTA 59-44
SAN MARINO: Ronci 3 (1/4 of three), Botteghi 16 (8/14, 0/1), Marinelli 6 (2/8, 0/3), Gasperoni 14 (6/15, 0/1), Zavoli 6 ( 2/7), Longo 1 (0/2 of three), Michelotti 1 (0/1, 0/1), Conforti, Rossini 4 (2/4), Bianchi 2 (1/2, 0/1), Berti (0/1), Pagani 6 (2/7). Herdsman: Porcarelli.
MALTA: Caruana 15 (5/11, 1/3), Pace 9 (3/8, 1/5), Fabri 2 (1/5), Attard (0/1, 0/4), Attard 4 (0/1 , 1/4), Depiro 4 (2/7), Deguara 9 (0/1, 3/6), Sultana 1 (0/5), Garzia (0/2), Dowdall, Rieger, Dimech (0/2 ). Coach: Massari.
Partials: 8-7, 27-21, 43-26, 59-44.
Rebounds: San Marino 62 (Gasperoni 17), Malta 49 (Deguara 13).
Assist: San Marino 10 (Botteghi 3), Malta 12 (three with 2).