Pallacanestro Titano claimed the derby at the PalaSgr in Santarcangelo, beating the Angels 65-55. The team coached by Michele Amadori led throughout the match, withstood the hosts’ comeback attempts, and sealed the result with three-pointers from Rinaldi and Ugolini.
It is the second consecutive victory for the blue-and-whites, following their win over Ferrara. Three players finished in double figures: Ugolini with 16 points, Rinaldi with 14, and Fusco with 12.
“The first two games, beyond the results, had already given us a good impression,” said club president Alessandro Bronzetti. “We knew the moment would come when all the work we’ve put in would start paying off, and the twenty-point win over Ferrara proved that.
Yesterday, against Santarcangelo, it was a real battle, but we managed to bring home an important result. I think we can finally say we’re off and running; we’re finding our feet in the new championship and we want to keep moving in this direction.”
The start of the game immediately tilted the derby in San Marino’s favour, as they raced to a 5-22 lead by the ninth minute. “Ironclad defence and an attack firing on all cylinders, just like Amadori’s team at its best,” reads the club’s statement. In the second quarter, Santarcangelo found some fluidity, but Titano kept control and went into the break ahead 34-22.
At the restart, the Angels closed the gap to 29-36, before the visitors pulled away again, reaching 29-45 with a strong contribution from Ugolini. The hosts then trimmed the deficit, closing the third quarter at 41-52.
The final quarter opened with another comeback attempt: Bracci and Aglio brought Santarcangelo back to within six points, at 48-54, with eight minutes left to play. It was long-range shooting from the blue-and-whites that halted the rally.
“Decisive in this final stretch were the three-pointers from Rinaldi (two) and Ugolini (one),” the statement reports. Titano defended their lead and closed out the game 55-65. Among the Angels, the top scorers were Bracci with 16 points and Aglio with 13.
