The penultimate round of the Serie B Basket regular season delivered an absorbing contest at PalaFulgor as Fulgor Fidenza squared off against a determined Bk2018 Ferrara side. Under the lights on the night of 14 May 2026, the visitors produced a polished second‑half display to secure an 85–73 victory, tightening their grip on a playoff berth while dealing a blow to Fidenza’s hopes of climbing the standings.

Match Overview

From the opening tip‑off, both teams traded blows in a high‑tempo first quarter. Fulgor Fidenza, driven by a raucous home crowd, edged ahead 22–20 after ten minutes behind the sharp shooting of their veteran guard Marco Rossi. Ferrara, however, used their size advantage in the paint to stay within reach. The second quarter saw the visitors turn the game on its head with a 14–4 run, sparked by a pair of three‑pointers from swingman Andrea Bianchi, allowing Bk2018 Ferrara to take a 43–39 lead into halftime.

After the break, Fidenza’s offense lost its rhythm. Ferrara intensified their defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and converting them into easy transition baskets. The third quarter belonged entirely to the guests, who outscored the home team 27–18, stretching the lead to 70–57 heading into the final period. Despite a late push from Fidenza – including a personal 8‑0 run by power forward Luca Venturi – Ferrara’s composure from the free‑throw line and disciplined shot selection sealed the 85–73 result.

Key Moments

• First‑quarter shootout: Fidenza’s early 8‑point advantage evaporated as Ferrara’s bench provided instant energy, tying the game at 16‑16 midway through the opening frame.
• Second‑quarter surge: Bianchi’s consecutive triples at 4:20 and 3:10 in the second period turned a 40‑37 deficit into a 46‑37 lead, a swing Ferrara never relinquished.
• Third‑quarter dominance: Ferrara opened the second half with a 12‑2 run, forcing three Fidenza timeouts inside the first five minutes. The home side managed only 18 points in the quarter – their lowest of any period.
• Late drama: With 2:30 remaining, Venturi cut the deficit to 78–73, but Ferrara’s point guard Tommaso Rinaldi responded with a driving layup and three free throws to ice the contest.

Tactical Story

Ferrara’s defensive game plan centred on collapsing on Fidenza’s pick‑and‑roll, a strategy that yielded 13 steals and limited the hosts to just 38% shooting from the field. Offensively, the visitors spread the floor effectively, using high ball screens to create mismatches for their agile big men. The visitors’ bench outscored Fidenza’s reserves 32–15, proving the depth advantage that head coach Paolo Conti had emphasised all week.

Fidenza, meanwhile, struggled to find consistent scoring outside their starting five. Their transition defence was exposed repeatedly, with Ferrara finishing with 22 fast‑break points. Turnovers also proved costly – the home side coughed up the ball 17 times, leading to 21 Ferrara points.

Standout Performers

Andrea Bianchi (Ferrara): The 27‑year‑old swingman poured in a game‑high 24 points on 9‑of‑14 shooting, including 4‑of‑6 from beyond the arc. His timely buckets in the second quarter broke the game open.

Tommaso Rinaldi (Ferrara): The point guard flirted with a triple‑double, finishing with 14 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds. His leadership down the stretch was instrumental.

Luca Venturi (Fidenza): Despite the loss, the Fidenza power forward delivered a gritty 22‑point, 10‑rebound double‑double, keeping his team alive in the fourth quarter.

Table and Season Implications

With the victory, Bk2018 Ferrara improved to 18‑10 on the season, strengthening their hold on fourth place in the Serie B Basket Girone A standings. The win virtually guarantees their spot in the post‑season promotion tournament, with only two games remaining. Fulgor Fidenza, meanwhile, fell to 13‑15, dropping to ninth – a position that currently places them outside the playoff picture. With two consecutive losses, Fidenza now need to win their final two fixtures and hope for favourable results from rivals to squeeze into the top eight.

The result also marks Ferrara’s fifth win in their last six road games, underlining their credentials as a dangerous outsider come playoff time. For Fidenza, the task is clear: regroup quickly and target a victory in the upcoming derby against Piacenza to keep their season alive.