The victory on the Nardò pitch continued the team’s progress Basketball 2.015 for the qualification of Italian Cup Final Four middle of March. Of course, a knockout in Cividale (won in Turin after four consecutive defeats) will make things easier next Sunday. But Milan’s defeat in Livorno, in addition to earning them a place in fifth place in the standings, injected more energy into the red and white race towards the Italian Cup.
Net of the official calculations that the National Basketball League has not yet released, everything will be decided on January 5, in the last round of the first round (together at 6 pm), and everything is very open. As Rimini, Udine and Cantù are already certain to take part in the mid-season event, now the final qualifier is Cividale. Friulian occupies the fourth place alone with 24 points. Two more than a quartet of teams ready to take advantage of a wrong move by Gesteco. In fact, Forlì, Rieti, Milan and Verona follow with 22 points.
Because the chances of being eligible for Final Four be true, Unieuro should win the direct clash of Palafiera against Rieti. The Sabini are fresh from a home win against league leaders Rimini, but they are also the only team in the lot who have no chance of climbing into fourth place. Forlì still needs to win and, at that point, hope for good news from other fields.
The first result to watch should definitely be that of Cividale, playing against a relaunched Pesaro (they outclassed Fortitudo on Sunday). The pursuers, including Basketball 2.015they can aim for a catch and a potential overtaking in the Cup only and exclusively in the event of a defeat of the Friulians. Who, vice versa, are already qualified, without much calculation, if they win against Pesaro.
Be careful, though, because in Forlì the victory against Real Sebastiani and the knockout of Cividale are not enough: other combinations are needed. Once tied at 24 points, Pillastrini’s men will prevail due to their victory in the direct match on the first day. This means that the red and white will have to hope that Verona and Milan win at home, respectively, against Piacenza and Cento. Non-prohibitive paper challenges.
A series of ‘joints’. But if the four arrive armed with 24 points, Unieuro will qualify, which in the separate classification has 4 points in head-to-head matches like Milan, but better than the Lombards for the best basket quotient. This is the only assumption that the Basketball 2.015 can celebrate access to Final Four. Any arrival of three teams – Cividale, Forlì and only one between Verona and Milan – will reward Tezenis in the first case and Ueb Gesteco in the second, again for a question of the basket quotient.
In short, Forlì dreams of overtaking Cividale at the last corner, mindful of what happened last year against rivals Fortitudo Bologna in the final round of the regular season. The tie for fourth place that, if the distances remain unchanged, can still be achieved next week, when the Friulians will be on the stage of the Unieuro Arena in another long-awaited direct clash. However, the people of Forlì hope that the wait will not be prolonged. Also because, in the case of qualification, the formula of Italian Cup it will give the derby with Rimini in the semi-final.