Catanzaro Dominate Second Half to Hand Virtus Ragusa Opening Defeat
Ragusa led by nine at half-time, having been eleven clear during the second quarter, before Catanzaro's 43-22 second half sealed a 75-63 win in Serie B Interregionale.
Basket Academy Catanzaro beat SuperConveniente Virtus Ragusa 75-63 at the PalaGiovino on Sunday, a second win of the Serie B Interregionale season for the hosts after their 78-67 success at Messina. For Ragusa it was a first outing delayed by the postponement of the opening fixture with Marigliano, and it ended in a defeat built on a second half the visitors lost 43-22.
The first half ran the other way. Catanzaro began aggressively and led 5-0 with Sakalas prominent; Ragusa's first basket came after almost three minutes, a Porcu three. Piscetta's introduction turned the game towards the visitors — six points by the end of the first quarter, ten by half-time — and the opening period closed level at 14-14. After Albertinazzi's corner basket made it 21-20 and Recupido called timeout, Ragusa produced a 12-2 run through the first baskets of Fabi, Vijber and Orrego, and at one stage led by eleven. They went in 41-32 ahead, a nine-point lead at the interval.
Catanzaro changed after the break, opening the third quarter with a 4-0 burst. Porcu's three held the line at 39-45, but Canestrari and Turin drove the hosts forward, Battaglia and then Chakir brought them back into it, and Sakalas put them ahead from the free-throw line at 46-45. Canestrari's three made it 54-47 after 28 minutes. Fabi's basket kept Ragusa close, but the quarter went 22-8 to Catanzaro, who led 54-49 at the last break.
In the final period Albertinazzi and Turin started strongly again. Ragusa turned to Tumino, who scored five points in a row and produced a defensive recovery, and missed a couple of three-point attempts that would have brought them back to within three. Sakalas, on four fouls, sat down early. Procopio, Tomcic and Battaglia kept the hosts moving, and Giglio's three with three minutes left effectively settled it at 72-58; the game finished 75-63. Piscetta's 11 points led Ragusa, with Fabi and Vijber on ten and Porcu on nine.
Ragusa return to the PalaPadua next Sunday against Termoli. Ragusa Libera wrote that a win will not be the only requirement, with Fabi and his team-mates needing to make people forget this opening display.