Sassari beat Cingoli 32:31 in the opening round of Serie A on Friday. The home side held on for a point to spare after both teams had shown they could trade baskets throughout the contest. Both sides now sit on two points after their first outing of the campaign.
By then it was clear Cingoli weren't going to fold. They'd taken the game to the hosts in recent meetings and carried that intensity into this one. The visitors found a way back into it time and again, refusing to let the gap widen. And here's the thing — they nearly had enough.
To be fair, the hosts deserved their narrow margin. They'd won their previous outing 31:24 against Trieste and looked sharper from the opening tip. The defense held firm when it mattered most, shutting down the final possession to seal it.
Our prediction of a home victory came through, though the 61 per cent confidence felt generous given how even this was. The margin of victory tells you everything — a single point in a game where neither side could find breathing room. Sometimes the table goes out of the window in these games.
Cingoli's record against Trieste this season is worth noting. They'd beaten them 26:25 in September but lost 23:27 back in April. This result suggests they're building something, even if the points are identical to their opponents.
The standings tell a flat story for now — fourth place for Sassari, seventh for Cingoli, both with one game played. But you can read a different narrative if you know how to look. The hosts started with a statement win, the visitors answered with heart.
