The enthusiasm of landing in the Eurocup group stage is not enough. In the concentration of Moncalieri where the first day of the women's A1 is held, Sassari clearly gives way to Limonta Costa Masnaga: 56-80 the final with the Sassari only nominally at home.
Too heavy the absence of the long Trebec and Shepard. Suffice it to say that in the first half the American from Limonta Vaughn scores 10 points with 5/5 shooting and also takes 9 rebounds.
The Sassari team remains in the game until 6 ': 9-12 thanks to Orazzo and Dell'Olio, then the infernal rhythm imposed by the Villa twins and the superiority of the long opponents propitiates the 9-0 break that splits the game. Sassari ends at -12 while Lucas argues with the basket (1/7 shooting).
The zone defense called by coach Restivo is not effective also because Costa Masnaga shoots well from three and inexorably takes off: 24-47 at rest. And of those 47 points, 30 arrived inside the area.
Upon returning to the parquet, Maggie Lucas becomes inflamed and with 11 points in a row tries to reverse the trend, but Costa Masnaga closes the ranks in defense, scores a few triple and inflicts a fatal blow to Sassari's hopes, which begin the last quarter at - 31. Race over. The last leg serves as a workout.
Lucas top scorer with 26 points but a mediocre 10/32 shooting. Better Orazzo with 14 points and 4/11 shooting. In the Costa Masnaga as many as six players in double figures with the American Vaughn who scored 19 points and captured 13 rebounds.
