Memorial Dino Pietrafesa: Campobasso Rout Battipaglia to Claim Second Straight Preseason Win

La Molisana Magnolia Campobasso made it two wins from two in preseason, following up a 31-point romp over Napoli in Cercola with a 75-42 rout of Battipaglia in the Memorial Dino Pietrafesa at the PalaZauli, a scoreline that only grew more lopsided as the game wore on.
Campobasso controlled the game from the opening tip, nearly doubling Battipaglia's total by the end of the first quarter, and the margin kept climbing in the second - into double digits before the midway point of the period and out to seven full possessions' worth of separation by the long break. Beatrice Cere (182-F-2007) was particularly sharp in that stretch. Out of the locker room, Campobasso doubled their hosts' score again at the midpoint of the third quarter, 50-25, a period in which they scored 20 points while allowing just 8, effectively settling matters. The fourth quarter, and especially its final five minutes, belonged to Campobasso's younger players, who played the period dead even, 15-15, to fix the final score at 75-42 - four Campobasso players finished in double figures, led by Que Morrison (171-G-1998, college: Georgia, agency: LBM Management)'s 14 points, with Beatrice Cere adding 12 and Liz Scott (188-F-2001, college: Oklahoma) and Anne Simon (175-G-2000, college: Maine) 11 apiece, against a Battipaglia side that saw nobody reach ten, Gianna Aiello (193-C, college: Brown)'s 9 points and Francesca Evangelista (175-F-2008)'s 6 leading the home effort.
Campobasso coach Mimmo Sabatelli was direct in his assessment afterward. "It was a game with several absences on both sides," he said, "but on our side we showed a small step forward both offensively and defensively. I'm really happy because the team continues on its path, working hard. Now, with the new week, we'll get Sara Madera back, and probably we'll see Giacchetti in action again too. For Conti and Miccoli we're waiting on further medical evaluations, but what's certain is that we don't want to rush things - we want to arrive in the best possible shape for the start of the season." He added praise for his junior players: "I have to compliment our junior players, who got minutes and showed they can hold their own on the floor. Next week will see us working further on defense and on our principles." Of Beatrice Cere's showing, Sabatelli said: "I had asked her to take more offensive initiative, and I'm glad she did. More generally, we had set ourselves goals on both defense and offense, and we hit them."
Campobasso have no test matches this week, but return to action Monday, September 21 at 19:00 for a scrimmage against Panthers Roseto at the PalaMaggetti, before hosting the eighth edition of the "Campobasso per lo sport" quadrangular at the Arena over the weekend, alongside Battipaglia, Napoli and Panthers Roseto.