An exciting victory for Openjobmetis Varese, which defeated Tezenis Verona on the road with a score of 88-99 and secured its third consecutive win across the LBA and BCL, confirming the team’s excellent form. This important win—achieved once again despite the absences of McDowell-White and Della Valle—demonstrates the growth and cohesion of a team capable of relying on different players to step up during the game’s decisive moments. Once again, it was a strong team effort that made the difference, with five players scoring in double figures. Hunter Hale led the red-and-whites in scoring with 19 points, despite a tough night from long range (1-for-9). David Duke Jr. also delivered an excellent performance, finishing with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, as did Davide Alviti, who was invaluable with his 13 points and several crucial three-pointers. Also worth noting was the excellent performance by Ismaël Kamagate, who nearly recorded a double-double with 14 points and 8 rebounds. It was a victory marked by character and resilience, built on contributions from the entire team and the ability to bounce back from tough moments, allowing Coach Kastritis’s squad to continue on its path with confidence. The Red-and-Whites will take the court again on Sunday at 7:00 p.m., when Udine visits the Itelyum Arena for another important league matchup.
The game got off to an even start between the two teams, with Tobey opening the scoring and Varese responding with free throws by Alviti and a three-pointer by Duke Jr. (2-6). Verona stayed close thanks to Zampini and, above all, Tobey, who had an excellent start, while Hale kept the red-and-whites ahead (9-10). The home team took the lead with Samuels and tried to extend it further with Tobey (18-13), but Openjobmetis fought back with three-pointers from Librizzi and Roby. In the closing moments, Duke Jr. took center stage, scoring five consecutive points to put the visitors back in front before Melendez’s basket closed out the first quarter at 23-25.
Openjobmetis got off to a strong start thanks to Nikolic and Librizzi, while Verona tried to stay in the game with Zampini. Kamagate and the Biancorossi captain led the visitors’ first run to extend their lead (27-33), forcing Coach Ramagli to call a timeout. The home team tries to respond with Samuels and Tobey, but Varese continues to find effective offensive plays with Alviti, Kamagate, and Duke Jr., building a 9-point lead at 33-42. Verona didn’t give up and relied once again on Tobey, before Melendez hit the baskets that brought the Gialloblu back to 42-48 and forced Kastritis to call a timeout. Roby halted the home team’s run, but the final spark came from Loro, who sent the teams into the locker rooms with the score at 44–50.
The second half got off to a Veronese-dominated start, with Loro taking center stage and—despite attempts by Alviti and Hale to respond—leading the home team to a 55-55 tie. Melendez completed the comeback from the free-throw line, while Tobey and Barbitch pushed the Gialloblu to a 62-57 lead, forcing Coach Kastritis to call a timeout. The Biancorossi’s response, however, was immediate, led by Hale and Ikangi, who spearheaded an 11-0 run that completely shifted the momentum of the game (62-68). Verona tried to stay in the game with Barbitch and Samuels, but Kamagate and a three-pointer by Duke Jr. allowed Openjobmetis to maintain the lead. In the closing minutes, Andrews scored four consecutive points, bringing the home team back to 71–73, the score at the end of the third quarter.
The final period began with a three-pointer by Librizzi and a basket by Renfro that put Varese back up by 7, but Verona didn’t give up and, led by Melendez and Samuels, closed the gap to just one point (77-78). Alviti responds with a huge three-pointer, followed by free throws from Hale, but the Gialloblu find the strength to close the gap to 82-83 thanks to Andrews and Tobey. It was at this point that Openjobmetis pulled away decisively: Renfro paved the way for back-to-back three-pointers by Roby and Alviti, before Hale’s basket gave them their biggest lead at +11 (82-93). Verona tried to fight back with Samuels, but Kamagate and Duke Jr. kept the visitors firmly in control of the game. In the closing moments, a three-pointer by Samuels himself cut into the deficit, before Hale sealed the victory from the free-throw line with the final score of 88–99.
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