Napoli Basket fell to Partizan Belgrade by a score of 101–83 in the first semifinal of the 10th edition of the Lovari Trophy, currently being held in Lucca. Despite strong effort and intensity throughout the game, the gap in quality between Coach Magro’s team and the Serbian powerhouse led by Željko Obradović was evident.
Napoli started well with an early 5–0 run, but Partizan quickly responded with a 19–2 burst to take control, forcing Coach Magro to call a timeout. With the contributions of Saccoccia and Faggian, Napoli tried to get back into the game, but the first quarter ended 26–17 in favor of Partizan. In the second quarter, Napoli continued to fight, but the reigning Serbian champions and EuroLeague participants proved too strong, extending their lead to 55–37 at halftime.
The third quarter saw a strong showing from an inspired Aamir Simms, who hit from long range, but Partizan kept their distance and closed the period up 84–64. In the final quarter, Rasir Bolton stood out, sparking a 10–2 Napoli run that cut the deficit to 86–74 and forced Obradović to call timeout. After the break, however, Partizan reasserted control, despite a good effort from Savion Flagg, and closed the game with a 101–83 victory.
Napoli Basket will return to action tomorrow at 6:30 PM in the third-place game, facing the loser of the other semifinal between Virtus Bologna and Libertas Livorno. The game will be streamed live on the YouTube channel Gli amici della Pallacanestro Lucca at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@amicidellapallacanestroluc820.