Mercede Alghero and Astro Cagliari remain the leaders of the Women's Serie B basketball tournament. Both teams won the ninth round of the first half of the season.
The top spot. Alghero defeated Pallacanestro Nuoro in a classic head-to-bottom battle, 43-71. Manuela Monticelli's team broke away in the first quarter (7-23 in the 10th minute) to close the half with a 20-point lead (17-41 in the 20th minute). Mercede controlled the situation in the third quarter (33-54 in the 30th minute), then made another run in the final 10 minutes (a final 28). Cavallero scored 20 points for the visiting team. Astro (Allianz Ambrosini e Murru), on the other hand, was experiencing some anxiety, winning 60-58 against Su Planu. In the first 30 minutes of play, the home team seemed to have no particular problems and built a comfortable lead (23-16 at the 10th minute, 42-23 at the 20th, and 51-34 at the 30th). In the final quarter, however, the visitors chipped away at the points as the minutes ticked by, reaching a 2-point deficit at the final buzzer. Su Planu, along with Aielli, who scored 18 points, was the game's top scorer.
The others. In the chase for the top spot, Antonianum remains alone after winning the direct match for third place against San Salvatore, 45-46. It was a tight match, with the Quartu team consistently ahead, but always with a lead below double digits. The first quarter ended 10-12, while at halftime Antonianum took a seven-point lead (18-25 in the 20th minute). The gap narrowed after halftime (28-32 in the 30th minute) before the final rush saw Quartu prevail. The top scorer of the game was Ingenito, of San Salvatore, with 20 points. Finally, in the final game of the day, Il Gabbiano won, 68-55, against Elmas. The home team pulled ahead early and reached a 17-point lead by the 20th minute (37-20). In the second half, the Masesi reduced their lead, but never dropped below double digits. The top scorer of the match was Cuccu, of Elmas, with 14 points.
