The 24th day of Serie A was played over the weekend, which will end tonight with the 20.30 pm postponement between Montegranaro and leaders Milan. Meanwhile, EA7's advantage over the latter remained unchanged, given that Cantù and Brindisi were blocked respectively in Caserta (64-60), which continues its race to the playoffs, and surprisingly at home by Bologna (68-77), with Virtus that takes away two fundamental points for its classification (now the last place is six lengths away) and smiles again after five knockouts and a troubled week to say the least. Cantù and Brindisi who are seen joined by Siena, the fifth success in the last 6, which gets rid of in Avellino (91-67), with the Irpinia who leave the group fighting for the last two playoff places. Of the first eight teams, Sassari also loses, which comes out defeated 89-79 from the Reggio Emilia field and interrupts its winning streak at 8 (5 in the league plus the three in the Italian Cup), being reached in fifth place in the standings by Rome, which in advance on Saturday it had easily overtaken Pesaro 96-85 (despite Turner's 37 points), always stuck in last place (and in the next round it will have to go to Milan).
Going back to the knockout in Sassari, on the other side a great performance by the landlords from Reggio Emilia, driven by the usual Kaukenas and White, who manage to keep Dinamo's attack under eighty points and consolidate their seventh position (in cohabitation, however with Caserta). Two points below is Venice which clearly beats Cremona at home (100-78), remains in contention for eighth place and will visit Avellino next week, with the possibility of ousting the Campanians from the fray. For Cremona a predictable defeat, which in any case keeps it two victories away from Pesaro.
Varese definitively rises from the dangerous area, which at home first goes down against Pistoia, but then thanks to a 31-14 third quarter manages to turn the situation around until the final 84-73. Thus the Lombards find a victory that Masnago had lacked even since 6 December and rise to 20, at -4 from eighth place, flanking Avellino and Pistoia, who in any case must be congratulated once again for the surprising championship that is doing, with a salvation now practically achieved and with the possibility of having fun between now and the end of the tournament. Tonight, as mentioned, the Milan program will close on the scene in Montegranaro, almost a spin, with Olimpia's 36 points against Sutor's 14. On paper there should be no game, with Banchi's team (again without Langford) chasing their thirteenth consecutive success and with the possibility of putting a serious mortgage on their first place in the standings, bringing the gap from the Brindisi trio to 6 points. Cantù-Siena with six rounds to go. The Marches, in penultimate position two points above Pesaro, would need a miracle, also considering that in seven days they will have to go to play at Sassari's house, certainly not a good calendar for a team in difficulty like that of coach Recalcati.
