Italy Serie A: New season tips off in Italy
The 2013-14 season of the Italian Serie A tipped off on Sunday with all 16 teams in action across the country. This is the first week of 15 on the first round of competition in the Serie A, with the league completing two full rounds of play
Leading the scorers this week was Keith Langford of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan with 29 points against Enel Brindisi, Jason Rich of Vanoli Cremona with 25 against Montepaschi Siena, Joe Ragland of Pallacanestro Cantù with 25 against Giorgio Tesi Group Pistoia, and Ebi Ere of Cimberio Varese, also with 25 against Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia.
Sutor Montegranaro – Acea Roma, 75:78
Acea Roma earned their first win of the season with a 75:78 road win over Sutor Montegranaro. After a big first quarter, Roma gave up the lead in the second, but was able to hold off Montegranaro and maintain the lead to earn the win. Quinton Hosley dropped 19 points and hauled in 7 rebounds for Roma, while Phil Goss added 17. Josh Mayo was game-high for Sutor Montegranaro with 21 points, Zeliko Sakic added 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Montepaschi Siena – Vanoli Cremona, 97:82
Montepaschi Siena got their 2013-14 season off to a quick start with a 15-point win over Vanoli Cremona. Siena won all four quarters to slowly build the lead throughout. Siena will be playing the season without the Euroleague Alphonso Ford Trophy awardee for leader scorer (averaging 18.8 ppg) from 2012-13, Bobby Brown, who signed with the Dongguan Leopards in China over the summer. Kim English paced Siena with 22 points, while Josh Carter added 18. Cremona got 25 from Jason Rich, and 17 from Sime Sparlja.
Enel Brindisi – EA7 Emporio Armani Milano, 88:80
Enel Brindisi came out of a game of massive scoring swings with an 88:80 victory over EA7 Emporio Armani Milano, despite the 29-point performance by Milano’s Keith Langford. The hosts took the first frame 25:20, but gave up the second 17:26, to head into the break down 37:41. In the third Enel took the lead back with a 24:17 quarter, then added to the lead with a 27:22 final frame. Enel got 18 from Jerome Dyson, 17 from Delroy James, and 14 points and 7 rebounds from Miroslav Todic. Milano got the game-high 29 points and also 7 rebounds from Langford, as well as 19 points and 7 rebounds from David Moss.
Cimberio Varese – Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia, 83:64
Cimberio Varese turned on the heat in the second half to pick up a big come-from-behind win over Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia, 83:64. Reggio Emilia struck early, getting up 13:20 after the first 10, then added a point to their lead in the second with a 20:21 tally to head into the mid-game break up eight, 33:41. Varese started their comeback in the third with a 22:16 score that pulled them within two points, 55:57. The game changed dramatically in the fourth when the hosts pounded their guests to the tune of 28:7 in the last 10, giving them the 19-point victory in Game 1 of the season. Eri Ebe was game-high with 25 points for Varese, with Achille Polonara adding 13 points and 8 rebounds, and Franklin Hassell dropping 11 points and 7 rebounds. Emilia got 10 each from Andrea Cinciarini, Troy Bell, and James White, who recorded a 10P/12R double-double in the loss.
Sidigas Avellino – Victoria Libertas Pesaro, 77:80
Victoria Libertas Pesaro used a 0:7 run late in the fourth quarter to set up the final minutes and a 77:80 victory on the road against Sidigas Avellino. Pesaro had led much of the first half, outscoring their hosts 21:25 in the first frame and then giving up two in a 19:17 second quarter to take a 40:42 advantage into the mid-game break. Sidigas put up seven on their quests in the third behind a 10-point 100% shooting performance from Will Thomas (4 of 4 from the floor and 2 of 2 from the line) that helped fuel a 25:18 quarter. Heading into the fourth Avellino was up 65:60, but within three minutes VL had drawn even at 67. Avellino knocked down the next four in a row to put up some distance, but Pesaro scored the next seven straight to get up 71:74 with just over two minutes to play. Avellino tied the score at 74, Pesaro got a deuce, followed by a triple from the locals to give them a one-point advantage, 77:76. That’s where Sidigas would stay while their guests scored four more to pick up the win 77:80. Avellino’s Jarvis Hayes tied Pesaro’s Marc Trasolini for game-high honors with 18 points, Thomas added 15 points and 7 rebounds for Avellino. Elston Turner and Bernardo Musso each dropped in 16 for Pesaro.
Pasta Reggia Caserta – Umana Venezia, 84:65
Pallacanestro Cantù – Giorgio Tesi Group Pistoia, 87:77
Granarolo Bologna – Banco di Sardegna Sassari, 98:88