By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
Vanoli Cremona made a big fourth-quarter comeback effort but Umana Reyer Venezia managed to hold on for a 78-75 home win tying the Italian League semifinals at 2-2.
Venezia had a huge 41-15 lead in the second quarter which dwindled slowly but they were still up 69-52 early in the fourth quarter. And although Cremona made a 21-6 run to cut the gap to just two points (75-73), Venezia managed to stay calm enough in order to come out on top in this win or go home game.
Mitchell Watt shot 8-8 from the field on his way to 19 points while Stefano Tonut added 17 in addition to Austin Daye’s 11 and MarQuez Haynes’ ten points.
For Cremona, Mangok Mathiang scored 22 points and Michele Ruzzier helped with 14 followed by Giampaolo Ricci’s 11 and Wesley Saunders’ ten points.