A splendid win for Napoli Basketball, who defeated Maxima Roma 94–75 on the road in the opening game of the Serie A, played this afternoon at the PalaEur in Rome. Coach Repesa’s team put in a great performance, with all the players on the scoresheet. The top scorer was Dowtin Jr. with 19 points, followed by Jakimovski with 16. Ramsey and Totè did not take part in the game, both sidelined with muscle strains that will be checked over the next few days.
Napoli got off to a strong start, with three-pointers from Jakimovski and Dowtin Jr. Caruso made it 2–12, forcing Cotelli to call a timeout. Roma responded with Holiday, while Bilan and Brown scored baskets. Alibegovic’s free throws brought Maxima within one point. Faggian then scored late in the quarter to make it 18–21 at the first break. The Azzurri played an excellent opening part of the second quarter, with Petrucelli, White and Tarczewski finding the basket. Tyson responded for Roma, but Brown gave Napoli its biggest lead of the first part of the game, making it 22–38 following Tyson’s flagrant foul. The home team, however, managed to get back into the game, almost entirely from the free-throw line, where they were flawless, making all 22 attempts in the first half. Napoli went into halftime leading 45–42.
In the third quarter, Napoli took definitive control of the game. Dowtin Jr. was unstoppable alongside Petrucelli, while baskets from Sankare and Jakimovski extended the lead to 48–70. Roma tried to close the gap late in the quarter through Brown, but Napoli still led 71–54 heading into the final period. In the fourth quarter, Alibegovic opened the scoring with a three-pointer, while Seljaas scored his first field goal. Bonacini brought Maxima back within 13 points. Captain Caruso then scored the baskets that effectively closed the game, assisted by Spissu, as Napoli extended its lead to 19 points at 83–64. The game ended 94–75, with final three-pointers from Jakimovski, White and Brown.
Coach Jasmin Repesa:
“It’s a pleasure to be back in Rome, a city that had a special place in my heart. I’d like to thank Mr. Toti and his family for all the support they gave me during my years in Rome.
No team is ever fully ready during the pre-season, and finding the right chemistry takes time. As I’ve always said, chemistry can make the difference in modern basketball. There are no longer players who can win games by themselves. Today, it’s the team and the system that matter.
We made a lot of mistakes, particularly in the end of the first half, when we gave away ten points for no reason. What really made the difference was the physical and mental energy we showed on the court, and I was very pleased with that throughout all 40 minutes.
Tarczewski had his first practice with the team on Wednesday morning, which is why we decided to put him in the starting lineup. It’s easier to integrate a player when he starts the game from the beginning. He helped us a lot, especially given our foul trouble and the injuries we picked up.
The younger players, Faggian and Sankarè in particular, also made an important contribution. When we defended with intensity, we were able to create easy scoring opportunities, and that is one of the things we want to build on.
There is still room for improvement on offense, but this was only our first official game. There are always emotions and tension that come with a game like this”
The Azzurri will return to action next Wednesday at the Alcott Arena at 8:00 p.m. for the opening round of the EuroCup against the reigning champions Bourg-en-Bresse. Then, on Saturday, October 3, at 8:30 p.m., they will host Reggio Emilia at the Alcott Arena for the second round of the Championship.
credits. Alessandro Isola Esposito