After raising the white flag in the last home match played last Sunday at the “PalaCarrara” against Brindisi, Estra Pistoia Basket there try again on the 29th day of LBA by going to the den of Dolomiti Energia Trentino for the last away match of this 2023/24 regular season which could give mathematical access to the playoffs (to keep an eye on, in particular, the GeVi Napoli match in Reggio Emilia) scheduled for this Sunday at 6.15 pm.
The “T Quotidiano Arena” has always been a difficult pitch for the red and whites who haven’t won there for 9 years and the total previous count in League A is 11-3 for the black and whites who are already certain of playoff qualification since last week. With a victory there would also be absolute certainty for Estra Pistoia and, to keep in mind, also the -5 Pistoia collected in the first leg at the PalaCarrara (match sponsor Giorgio Tesi Group, referees Sahin from Messina, Galasso from Siena and Martials of Viterbo).
IMPRESSIONS BEFORE THE RACE. Full week of training for Estra and, as reiterated by coach Nicola Brienza in the press conference before leaving for Trentino, also with great pace and motivation put into play. The match is a tough one, knowing that the hosts have a few too many absences (Grazulis, Udom and Niang out). In addition to the technical aspect, however, these days also served to understand the mood of the group and speak to the team clearly: salvation, the objective of the season, was achieved early and now it is there, in the face of everyone and especially for the team and staff, the possibility of achieving an exceptional goal, also useful for the careers of the youngest and for their future.
“I’m happy with the approach taken by the boys during the week in terms of desire, participation and attention – he admits Nicholas Brienza – We are aware of the importance of the match and, to use a tennis comparison, in these last matches we had three match points available: we left the first on the way, now we will try to play the second chance knowing that we want to play a great match. We spoke to each other in recent days, highlighting how close we are to a great goal: maybe it won’t change the careers of some of the guys but being able to achieve it would be a fantastic experience because every member of the roster would reach, at least for now, the highest level of your career. I would therefore like to think that in 20 years when they think about Pistoia’s vintage to tell to their children or grandchildren, they will be able to tell them that they have achieved a unique goal. This is why I say that, at this moment, the playoffs are worth more for us – as something enjoyable to experience – than for the club or the fans: it would really be the icing on the cake.”
For the Estra coach, the match in Trento is not the most banal given that, for the first time, he returns as an opponent of the club that trusted him and made him spend a year and a half as head coach in LBA before arriving at the Pistoia Basketball. But, after the tap-off, the thoughts will be exclusively on the pitch and the goal to be achieved.
“I had a good experience in Trento – admits the red and white coach – I have to thank Aquila Basket for giving me the opportunity to coach in Serie A when I was still young and less experienced: having that great responsibility so early certainly helped me. I return there for the first time and I will have the pleasure of seeing many people I know and appreciate again, but these are personal emotions that I will manage in the best way since the focus remains mainly on the match. We find a Trento team that is having a good season and I congratulate coach Galbiati who managed an important year well by playing a high-level Eurocup and, at the same time, they maintained an excellent performance in the championship by qualifying for the playoffs early.
On a purely technical level, however – continues Nicola Brienza – we know that they are living with some serious absences but their way of playing has not changed: at the moment Alviti has been adapted to play as a false forward but they have immediately settled back well. They have excellent outside shooting percentages and are aggressive in the first seconds of the attack. My reflection is simple: other teams, when three such important players are missing, struggle to reach six players. They have built a long and experienced roster so much so that there are still nine of them and the excellent work of the club and coach is certified by the results on the pitch.”
