Pallacanestro Cantù — Basket Napoli: 80:99, Lega A

Napoli ended a rough patch with an 80:99 victory over Cantu in the Italian League A on Saturday. The visitors took control early and never looked back, converting their chances while the hosts squandered opportunities. It was a straightforward win for the away side, who played the second half a man up in terms of tempo.

What stood out was the shooting efficiency. Napoli hit 38 of 74 field goals compared to Cantu's 26 from 54 attempts. The visitors also made more from distance, landing 9 three-pointers against 6. By then you could see the gap opening, and it only widened.

We had called for the away win at 53% confidence, and the result confirmed that reading. Napoli's recent form — five games without defeat — told you they were building momentum. Cantu's struggles, with just one win in their last five, made the outcome less surprising than the margin.

The statistics tell the story clearly. Cantu generated more rebounds, 31 to 30, and had more blocks, but they also turned the ball over 17 times to Napoli's 9. That turnover differential cost them dearly, and they couldn't recover from the early deficit.

For Cantu, the loss keeps them in 14th place with 9 wins and 19 losses. Napoli move to 10th with 11 victories, closing slightly on the teams above them. The gap between them is now 22 points in the standings, though that doesn't capture the difference in form.