Twenty-first round of Serie A, all the top six in the standings win, practically certain of going to the playoffs, while nine days from the end it is a great fight for the last two useful places. For the moment, Milan is unable to escape, but after obtaining the lead last week, it consolidates its first position (32 points) thanks to the comeback victory over Venice 91-82. For EA7, without its top scorer Langford, but driven by the duo Hackett and Gentile, came the tenth consecutive victory in the championship (the eleventh at the Forum, where it is undefeated), while for Reyer this is the fifth knockout consecutive, which at the moment leaves it out of the playoffs, at 18 points on a par with Pistoia. Immediately behind Milan, the couple formed by Brindisi and Cantù (30 points), victorious at home respectively over Varese (96-70) and Cremona (87-72). The Apulian team, after the defeat of the other week in Reggio Emilia, within the friendly walls (where they have a 9-1 record) resumed their extraordinary journey and got rid of Cimberio, who didn't need a change of coach (the promotion of Deputy Bizzozi following the exemption of Frates) and which remains firm at an altitude of 16. Only 2 points more than Cremona which, also due to a second quarter where it only scores 4 points (against Cantù's 27), succumbs in the Lombard derby, which sees the Brianza players avenge the misstep of the first leg by giving a good answer in front of their fans after being eliminated from the Eurocup. Among Cantù's ranks, the important goal achieved by Cusin (formerly of the match), who has exceeded 1000 points in Serie A, is worth mentioning. At 28 points there is Siena (also recently released from the Eurocup) which passes easily 50-78 (with a partial of 49-16 between the second and third periods) on the field of the increasingly disastrous Montegranaro, penultimate at 12 and who also lost his most talented player, Mayo, who ended up at the court in Rome . In the next round a very interesting challenge between Siena and Cantù is scheduled.
Paired at 26 points are Rome and Sassari, with the capitolini protagonists of the second external blow of the day, 85-89 (after an overtime) in Bologna. The hosts don't even need the atmosphere of celebration and history breathed before the match, with the retirement of the number 5 shirt of the star Sasha Danilovic, the unforgettable Serbian idol protagonist of the victories of the late 90s, present and excited on the parquet of Casalecchio. In the end, in the clash between the two Virtus, the Giallorossi team prevailed, while the Juventus team suffered their twelfth defeat in the last 15 matches, an endless crisis that brought the Bolognese team to the rear of the standings, stuck at 16 points (like Varese). Sassari, on the other hand, continues its exciting journey that began after the conquest of the Italian Cup and in a fully sold out Palaserradimi for the umpteenth time it imposes a 102-78 on the unfortunate Pesaro, always last with only 10 points, but with some more hope after the success against Montegranaro seven days ago. For Sassari, in the last three races, the great numbers of the beginning of the season have returned, with an average of points scored that breaks through the 100 and an average gap trimmed to the opponents of more than 25 points (not counting the decisive success against Bamberg in Europe). The best way to approach the first leg of the round of 74 of the Eurocup (a competition in which she is the only Italian left), on Wednesday at the Palaserradimi against Alba Berlin. Another important success of Pistoia, the real positive surprise of the championship, which at home, where it has a playoff march, thanks to its Americans, beats Reggio Emilia 66-18. Now with 10 points, the question of salvation should by now be done, arriving in the first eight frankly seems too much, but certainly the Tuscan team can have fun from now to the end. For Grissin Bon, for whom the usual White wasn't enough, performance away from home (11 knockouts out of 14 away games) remains the great limit to her ambitions, but in the meantime she has reached the quarterfinals of Eurochallenge, which could become the real big goal of this season finale. Finally, the Campanian derby number 76 against Avellino goes to Caserta, with the new point guard Ronald Moore on the field, with the hosts clearly imposing themselves 57-76, overturning the 70-20 of the first leg and hooking Sidigas at an altitude XNUMX (together with Reggio Emilia).
