It’s serious. On Monday 29 April, with taproom set for 8.30pm and doors open to all, the opening act of the first round of the playout between the Bisceglie Lions, sponsored by Biotec, and Vicenza will be staged at the PalaDolmen. The winning team of the series, in the best of five matches, will celebrate salvation in the Old Wild West National Serie B championship. The second match will also be held on the Bisceglie parquet on Wednesday 1st May starting at 6.30 pm. The warmth and support of the Bisceglie public and local enthusiasts will be fundamental in pushing Dip and his teammates to reach the coveted goal.
THE NERAZZURRI – The two consecutive victories obtained within friendly walls against Cestistica San Severo and away in the direct clash in Ozzano have raised the morale of a group that has undoubtedly grown over time. The improvements made by coach Agostino Origlio’s team (6-9 roster under his management) will be capitalized in the best possible way in this decisive phase of the season.
COACH ORIGLIO’S PREMATCH – «We got to where we knew we could and needed to get and above all we were able to earn the best possible placement in the playout grid. Of course, this does not guarantee us anything certain but honestly it was neither easy nor so obvious to obtain 14th place but the latest convincing tests, both from a technical and mental point of view, are a good sign.
We approach this series aware of our experience, of our self-esteem which is well consolidated but with the humility of still having to fight to reach the goal. It will not be a single match that will decide the outcome of this playout but the series in its entirety and complexity. It will be essential to have attention to detail, know how to read matches and manage the emotions that emerge in matches like these.
I expect the entire environment to support us and support us throughout the series because this team deserves it and will certainly need it even more. When you get to play matches like this, the spirit of belonging and the value of the passion for the city and the territory matter a lot.”
THE OPPONENTS – The Venetian team concluded the regular season with a record of 11 wins against 23 defeats and won only three times away, in Chieti, Taranto and Padua. The club decided to sack coach Manuel Cilio during the break in the tournament for the Italian Cup Final Four, calling Gabriele Ghirelli in his place (current record 2-4). The best scorer is Fabio Bugatti, who began the year with the Mestre tank top and joined the group at the end of November: the 1998-born winger scores 16.4 points per game to which he adds almost 4.5 rebounds on average. The only teammate who exceeds double figures is point guard Valerio Cucchiaro (10.4) who is also the most effective passer on the team (3.1 assists).
REFEREES AND FIELD OFFICIALS – The match will be refereed by Marco Guarino from Campobasso and Umberto Giambuzzi from Ortona. The officials’ table will be made up of Domenico Turi from Foggia (scorekeeper), Cosimo Damiano Tavoletti from Barletta (timekeeper) and Giuseppe Minafra from Ruvo (shot clock attendant).
