Italy – Basket Serie A, Round 26

Brescia-Tortona (06/04/24, h19:30 CET)
Risking it all, with the contribution of a brilliant Miro Bilan (25 points, 11 rebounds), Leonessa conquers Varese (92-95) and returns to the top of the standings. "A victory that gives us a lot of morale," coach Magro smiles, emphasizing the solidity of his team in rebounding (19 offensive rebounds) despite the absences (Cobbins and Gabriel out). Now, back home where Brescia boasts an impressive record (10-2 this season), they need consistency to see if the mini-crisis is over. Tortona, in this sense, is a good test because they are a healthy opponent with playoff aspirations: after the victory against Cremona (87-76), the club has decided to renew Walter De Raffaele's contract until 2027. A sign of esteem and planning for the coach who is lifting the white and black team. However, they need to find form away from home, where Weems and his teammates have lost 6 of the last 7 games. Expect a high-paced game: the Piedmontese offense has started to click, and since the Coppa Italia, Brescia has conceded an average of 91.2 points per game. With the home advantage, the balance tips towards the hosts, but there's a risk of getting burned.

Sassari-Pesaro (07/04/24, h11:00 CET)
Coach Markovic is cautious when speaking of "mathematical salvation" achieved with the important victory in Brindisi (70-76). This Dinamo is in confidence (4 wins in the last 5) and has the squad to realistically aim for a top-eight finish: they're just one game behind, and Sassari at PalaSerradimigni has not lost in 2024. Meanwhile, Pesaro hasn't won away since December: their last win (93-89 against Treviso) could prove costly in the relegation battle. "But this time I have nothing to reproach my boys for," says Meo Sacchetti. Vuelle is currently bottom, two wins adrift from 14th place and too inconsistent to stay in touch. There's a significant technical and mental gap, and Sassari's vulnerability makes the obstacle slippery. However, if Dinamo performs as they have in recent weeks, there's no doubt about the home victory. Perhaps in a medium-high scoring game, as Pesaro's offense has improved with Cinciarini at the helm, but their problem remains the second-worst defense in the league.

Varese-Napoli (07/04/24, h15:30 CET)
Even a monumental performance by Nico Mannion, with a career-high of 37 points, isn't enough: Varese fights but ultimately succumbs to Brescia (92-95) and finds itself in the penultimate spot alone. In the midweek, they were eliminated from the Europe Cup after a hard-fought second-leg semifinal against Bahcesehir. "It was a learning experience," comments coach Bialaszewski, but now they urgently need to focus on the league where the red and whites have only won 3 of the last 10 games. Napoli, on the other hand, continues to pay the price for the Coppa Italia: they suffered their fourth consecutive loss against Venezia (90-97). "We were penalized by shooting 20% from three, now let's regroup to finish the season strong," says Igor Milicic. The Campanians have slipped out of the top eight, but the goal remains achievable. Expect a spectacular clash between two teams with high offensive power and players capable of tipping the balance on both ends: Brown and Mannion against Ennis and Pullen. The outcome is uncertain, with a total of over 160 points likely.

Cremona-Scafati (07/04/24, h16:30 CET)
Amidst tension – coach Cavina and GM Conti were sent off – Cremona falls to Tortona (87-76) and still hasn't secured safety. They could do so on Sunday by beating an equally struggling Scafati: both teams have only managed one win in the last 5 matches. In the first leg, Lombardy prevailed after a marathon of two overtimes, but today the energies are different, and mental strength will be crucial. Boniciolli's boys need to improve, having essentially ended any playoff aspirations in Trento (84-79) and have a lot to regret. "That 7/18 from the free-throw line cries out for revenge: we must continue to fight," says the coach. It's a delicate direct clash, hard to predict: Scafati has a more varied attack, while Cremona excels defensively. The home advantage could weigh heavily: at home, Denegri and his teammates have won 5 of the last 7 games, while the yellows have lost 8 of their last 9 away games. With caution, the trend may continue, in a medium-high scoring game.

Brindisi-Treviso (07/04/24, h17:00 CET)
Last chance for Brindisi, who after the loss against Sassari (70-76) must win all their remaining matches and hope. "We paid dearly for the pressure, shooting terribly in decisive moments," comments coach Sakota. Even Sneed's 25 points weren't enough; now it's all or nothing against Treviso in a pivotal match: losing would mean Serie A2, while a win would provide pure euphoria for the final sprint. On the other hand, with a victory, the Venetians could secure safety with four games to spare: a sporting miracle for a team that started the season with a record of 0-9. "The club was smart to give us confidence even when things weren't going well," smiles Frank Vitucci after the 93-89 win over Pesaro, their fourth consecutive victory. "Now we've found balance, but we need one final step to feel safe." At PalaPentassuglia, with the coach's experience, Treviso seeks the exclamation point in a highly risky match. The do-or-die situation could be a double-edged sword for Brindisi; Olisevicius and his teammates must be ready to accept the challenge. Expect a potentially close game, just above the 160 total points mark.

Venezia-Virtus Bologna (07/04/24, h17:15 CET)
With Simms leading (22 points) and a good team performance, Reyer bounces back in Naples (90-97). In a single-game situation, the gold and navy confirm themselves as one of the best teams in the league, but they've often been too complacent. This is somewhat reminiscent of Virtus, overly confident when they seemed to have Pistoia under control in the late game: then a deadly run of 6-27 in the final quarter and the deserved defeat. It's perhaps the most delicate moment of Banchi's tenure, with 8 losses in the last 10 games in both the league and cups. In Venice, they celebrate Casarin's award (LBA's best defender in March), and

Spahija continues to rely on long rotations. It's a big match at Taliercio, between two second-placed teams: the gold and navy already surprised Bologna in the first leg (84-85), and the blacks and greens haven't lost in the lagoon since 2018. Given their defensive lapses, an outcome above 160 total points is likely.

Milan-Trento (07/04/24, h18:00 CET)
Putting the EuroLeague on hold, Olimpia focuses strongly on a Serie A where they are clearly on the rise: a record of 12-3 in the last 15 games, at least two wins more than any other team. And at the Forum, they have an ongoing streak of 11 consecutive wins in both the league and cup. Trento is warned, despite 3 wins in the last 4 games which have put Galbiati's boys back in the playoff hunt. "We had the strength to never give up," praises the coach after the 84-79 win over Scafati. "And a special thanks to Grazulis, who unfortunately ended his season today." The Latvian leader has been enduring so far, but he will have to undergo knee surgery ahead of the Olympic qualifiers with his national team. A significant absence for Aquila, who at the Forum will have to reshuffle the cards and hope: these days, at their home court, Mirotic and his teammates concede little to nothing. Plus, the last favorable precedent for Trento dates back to 13 games ago. Therefore, a more or less straightforward victory for Milan.

Pistoia-Reggiana (07/04/24, h18:30 CET)
That fourth period will go down in the annals of Pistoia basketball: a 27-6 run, Virtus Bologna defeated (93-100), and Brienza's boys continue to surprise the league. "A significant momentum in the playoff race," all the aplomb of the coach. Now, the Tuscans are sixth, with 4 wins in the last 5 games and the opportunity on Sunday to catch up with Reggiana in fifth place: PalaCarrara is heating up. On the other hand, the Emilians are not diminished by the big match against Milan (68-72) and have what it takes to repel the assault. "We know how to be competitive even in physical games," coach Priftis maintains. It's a fascinating direct clash, which could be played either cautiously or with many baskets in open court. The first leg saw the home team prevail (95-82), and today Pistoia looks slightly better, but once again Brienza is the best prophet for his players: "As underdogs, we've always been good; when we weren't, we often made mistakes." Learn from it.