WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL - Challenge cup in the final cimberio gave up to Albacete
Cimberio Varese – BSR Amiab Albacete 60-76 (14-18, 37-34, 46-56)
Cimberio: Damiano 4, Blomquist 12, Lindblom 16, Geninazzi 4, Kim 22, Roncari 2, Fiorentini. Coach Riva.
BSR Amiab: Marsh 13, Cristen Barba 2, Herreros, Brown 8, Mena Perez 10, Orogmeni 6, Manning 20, Garcia 17. N.e. Montiel, Boardman, Aceituno, Brox Ortega.
Remarks – Free throws: Cimberio 7 on 10, BSR Amiab 7 on 9. Gone out for 5 fouls: Damiano 38'35”.
ARNHEM (Olanda) – Cimberio falls at the end of the Challenge Cup : according to the forecast, the Spanish of Albacete celebrated and the mood of the team of Varese is a mix of feelings, because on one side there is the awareness of having achieved an extraordinary challenge, at the debut in an international sport event, and on the other side there is the regret of not having being able to take advantage of the golden opportunity. Certainly Cimberio paid a too limited staff for a competition with so fast paces (5 matches in two days and a half) ; on the other side nothing could be done for the absences of Marinello (unable to play at international level because «normally endowed ») and Silva (the pass that licensed him to play did not arrive in time), while for technical choice was given limited time to Roncari (little more than 4 minutes for him against the Spanish).
And Albacete, after having turned all its 21 athletes in the first four matches, against the team of Varese lined up 8 players, thing that finally made the difference. The match was in equilibrium for more than half of its development. In the first quarter Cimberio was forced to chase (6-12 at 5’, 14-18 at the first siren), but taking the score under control. The second quarter was the most beautiful moment for Cimberio team, with Kim who raged under the backboard (18 scores until the long pause) and Lindblom and Blomquist to bombard in counterattack and from outside (35-28 was the maximum advantage at 17’, then 37-34 at the pause). In the third quarter the fall of Geninazzi & C. : a ruinous partial of 0-14, from 43-42 at 24’ to 43-56 at 28’) practically compromised and determined the contest. Unuseful, in the meantime, a time out called by coach Riva. In the last quarter Cimberio made every effort to get back in the game (54-61 at 35’) surrendering in the last steps. However, numbers award the team of Varese : Kim (9/20 and 14 bounces), Lindblom 6/13 and 5 bounces), Blomquist (6/14 and 6 assists) and Damiano (2/6) were at their best standard, probably Geninazzi (2/8 and 6 bounces) was affected by the strain of the past days, in which he was always brilliant. With the second place in Challenge Cup (or Eurolega 3) Cimberio closes a season in which it climbed the national ranking : now in Italy after Roma and Cantù (that in the next week will play in Champions’ League and then will play for the championship) there is Varese and it is easily an extraordinary result.