Italy SerieA: Sassari evens up with Varese

Week 23 in the Italian SerieA saw the top club, Varese, get defeated by the No. 2 team, Sassari, and five teams that are fighting for playoff spots fall. With seven weeks left in the SerieA regular season and with only eight clubs moving on, there are six teams outside the top eight that have a shot at moving up. Sidigas Avellino (8-14), Oknoplast Bologna (8-14), and Sutor Montegranaro (8-15) are three games down. Vanoli Cremona is two games out at 9-14 and upset No. 5 EA7 Emporio Armani Milano in Milan this week, Juve Caserta, who upset No. 6 Montepaschi Siena on Sunday, and Enel Brindisi are just a single game out at 10-13. Umana Venezia is No. 8 at 11-12 and lost Saturday to No. 3 Acea Roma, marking their third lost in a row and four of their last five matches have ended in defeat.

Banco di Sardegna Sassari – Cimberio Varese, 76:75
In the battle for the top spot in SerieA, Banco di Sardegna Sassari came from behind to defeat Cimberio Varese, 76:75, to bring the two clubs even in the standings at 18-5. The matchup proved to be everything a game between the top two teams of an elite league should be, including a buzzer beater by Sassari’s Bootsy Thornton for the win.

Sassari got out the lead early on, outscoring Varese 21:18 in the first quarter, paced by Drake Diener’s nine points. In the second the clubs exchanged the lead numerous times before wrapping up the half knotted up at 35 as the hosts’ Brian Bags dropped in a jumper as time expired.

It took nearly two minutes to open scoring in the second half, and when it happened, Bryant Dunston did it with some flair, rattling the backboard with a dunk. He followed up shortly after with a deuce in the paint and after an exchange of free throws and jumpers, he slammed another to give Varese a seven-point lead, 39:46, mid-way through the third 10. Diener had hit a jumper prior, then connected on three singles after getting fouled on a three-ball attempt and then he hit a three, to bring Sassari back within three and cap eight straight points he hit for the hosts. Michal Ignerski dropped in a triple to tie at 48, but Varese got a lay-up from Adrian Banks and a pair of singles from Mike Green to close the third frame with Varese up four, 48:52.

Thornton got six of his 11 fourth quarter points early in the frame and all inside to pull Sassari to within two, then after Green split a pair of free throws for Varese, Vanuzzo Manuel hit a three-pointer to tie the score at 59. Over the next two minutes Sassari built a seven-point lead, 70:63, but a 1:8 run knotted the score at 71. Ignerski hit a close-range jumper, then on consecutive trips down the floor Dunston, then D. Diener and then Dunston again, split pairs of free throws, but give Sassari a one-point advantage, 74:73. Dunston got a bucket in the paint for the lead and then Thornton Marvis hit his buzzer beater for the win.

Drake Diener led Sassari with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Thornton added 13 points and 6 rebounds.

Dunston was game-high for Varese with 25 points, and 10 rebounds. Adrian Banks dropped in 15 and Ebi Ere contributed 14.

Italy SerieA Week 23

This Week’s Matches[matches league_id=5 match_day=23 template=summary dateformat=”M. j, Y”]

Standings[standings league_id=5 show_website=false template=nolink]

Next Week’s Matches[matches league_id=5 match_day=24 template=sumnoscore dateformat=”M. j, Y”]