After the exciting qualification for the playoffs achieved thanks to a series of great demonstrations of character even in moments of difficulty, the time has finally come for Assigeco Piacenza to compete against the top of the class in the most awaited phase of the championship. The opponent of the red and white in this first round of the post-season will in fact be Trapani Shark, an authentic steamroller who played a championship as a total dominator in the Green Group. Piacenza has already faced Trapani at the beginning of March, an honorable defeat but sadly known for Malcolm Miller’s rectus femoris injury. Now, however, the time has come for Piacenza to prepare for game 1, the first eagerly awaited payoff match which will take place at 8.30pm on Saturday 4 May at the PalaShark in Trapani. The whole of Assigeco is aware of the very high value of the opponent, but coach Salieri knows that matches like these are the perfect opportunity for growth in terms of play and experience:
“I would like to point out that we are about to face what is perhaps the strongest team seen in A2 in recent years. These matches must be played with desire and great attention, every moment must be lived because it can be an opportunity to make a further leap of quality. Our goal is very clear: raise the level and play to the best of our ability.”
How is the team physically?
“We have to recover from some of the aches and pains we’ve carried over from the clock phase. Let’s say that this requires us to find all the players as best we can, then we will also have Gallo who is involved in the Under-19 finals and who will have to work off a few minutes. But we know that where perfect physical shape doesn’t reach, mental energy will have to come to the rescue.”
Could the recent successes on the clock, with 5 victories in the last 6, have helped further strengthen the group’s chemistry?
“Our chemistry is already consolidated, then it is clear that winning helps to win, in the sense that it gives further self-esteem and greater conviction in what we do and what we can put on the field”.
In your opinion, is there a difference between the regular season and the playoffs also in terms of the way the teams play?
“No doubt. In the playoffs the intensity grows, the physical contact grows and the adrenaline also grows because the stakes are important for everyone. Then it is clear that these are highly stimulating races to be faced with decision and great clarity, so everything is raised to power.”
You will face what on paper is the worst opponent. Having reached this point, however, is it legitimate to believe in the company?
“We want to play all our cards aware of our qualities. We earned these playoffs by doing a masterpiece in the strongest group and playing the phase by the clock without Miller, now we want to play it game by game all the way to the end. On the pitch we start from 0-0 and we go to Trapani with great energy and desire to put on the field all that is our technical, individual and emotional drive. As I said before, it is a stimulating race that we want to face with a smile on our faces, but also with great decision and determination.”
DRILLS SHARK
After a sensational regular season with 29 wins and just 3 defeats, Trapani Shark qualified as the No. 1 seed in the silver bracket of the playoffs. The depth of the Sicilian roster is such that it requires a large turnover and the exclusion of two seniors from game to game. President Antonini’s enormous ambitions were also confirmed by the dismissal of coach Daniele Parente in March after the elimination in the semi-final of the LNP Italian Cup at the hands of Fortitudo Bologna, with the arrival of Andrea Diana on the Trapani bench. After the change of technical leadership, the Sicilian battleship wants to continue its dominance also in the post-season, and will undoubtedly represent a test of monumental difficulty for the young and decidedly less experienced boys of coach Salieri. The keys to the Trapani quintet are entrusted to the supreme talent of JD Notae, an American guard returning from a 22-point performance in the last scheduled match against Fortitudo, and Matteo Imbrò, who despite not being a pure scorer excels in creation game for teammates. In the small forward position we will find Fabio Mian, a player with an enviable CV who also boasts a handful of appearances in Ettore Messina’s senior national team. The long department is made up of Amar Alibegovic, already a staple of the rotations after arriving in Sicily at the end of March and Chris Horton, a double-double machine capable of giving solidity and completeness to the quintet. The weapons at coach Diana’s disposal are not limited to the starting five: during the match we will see the former Treviglio player and great scorer Pierpaolo Marini, who together with guard Stefano Gentile forms a fearsome duo coming off the bench. Another important player for Trapani is Joseph Mobio, already author of two promotions with the Scafati and Cremona shirt, while replacing Horton under the basket will be former Urania Milano player Rei Pullazi. Also an integral part of the team are Marco Mollura, captain and emotional leader of the team, Yancarlos Rodriguez, a highly experienced Italian-Dominican point guard and the veteran Andrea Renzi. The roster is completed by the young Fabrizio Pugliatti and Veljko Dancetovic.
