An American-led Nardò without Iannuzzi last night left crumbs to Agrigento, who had also arrived in Salento with the absolute urgency of bringing home the two points. Hdl, however, played as a team, as Luca Dalmonte wants, making up for the absence of his starting center with new and profitable attack and defense strategies and holding on to Russ Smith and Wayne Stewart jr., at times irrepressible. The Granata also managed to hide the effects of the very limited contribution of Maspero, who came out due to injury and was on the pitch for just 12 minutes, and of Nikolic, who committed 5 fouls in just 4 minutes. The Granata coach is satisfied, but his thoughts are already on Sunday’s match at Luiss Roma.
“We are satisfied because we won, first of all – he explained after the match – in this moment that counts, even if the performance is important and has a huge impact on the result. We are satisfied with some moments of correct, offensive and defensive basketball, and we are also satisfied for the approach to the match. Everyone made a contribution, regardless of the numbers that rewarded someone and which are fundamentally the product of team play. In some moments we played as we wanted to play. Now let’s score a point, let’s take a small one break and then we prepare as best we can for the next match, which is very, very, important and counts as a match in the salvation group.” The totem of “teamwork” also serves to make up for limitations and defections, like that of Iannuzzi. “We know how important Iannuzzi is – he said – however, as in all teams, everyone is important and no one is necessary. The true superstar of each team must be playing together, which means everyone being connected on the match level and all going to the same management. Of course, it is an important absence and no one has the presumption to replace him because no one is called Antonio Iannuzzi, but we are connected to the team system.”
The one with Fortitudo Agrigento may not have been the last meeting of the season. The Sicilians, by beating Orzinuovi, would earn the right to play for salvation in the final round. Coach Damiano Pilot doesn’t have too many regrets about the Salento knockout. “Perhaps the difference was made by the 57 points of the American duo from Nardò – is his thought in the press room – to whom I congratulate for the victory. Which they deserved. They started the match better, we immediately found ourselves at chase, even if we never sunk. It is clear that the two foreigners from Nardò gave an absolutely over the top performance, we tried to limit them, but above all Smith became unstoppable. There is disappointment, because we were coming off a solid performance with Bologna, but unfortunately this year we have never managed to be consistent away from home and it’s a great shame. Having said that, we are the architects of our own destiny and if we beat Orzinuovi on Sunday we don’t have to look at the results of the others point is already a great result.”
For Taurus it will be a week of passion. There will be work to be done on the pitch and in the infirmary, with the injuries of Iannuzzi and Maspero to be deciphered. And we will also have to understand the effects of Smith’s expulsion. In any case, Rome will need another great performance, a determined, lucid and effective Toro like the one last night. A victory in the capital would be an asset of inestimable value to save the A2.
Tags: Dalmonte Pilot comment race Nardò Agrigento
