Despite a defeat, game 1 of the playoff quarter-finals for theUCC Assigeco Piacenza left several good indications: the red and whites approached the match very well, holding their own against the Sicilian battleship for a good part of the match and only running out of energy towards the end. But now it’s time to recharge the batteries and put the first match to rest, because on Monday evening at 8.30pm we’ll be back on the pitch at Pala Shark for match 2. Understanding one’s mistakes and trying to start again from the right attitude seen in race 1 could be important keys for this second episode of the series, to try to put the Sicilian battleship in greater difficulty, as witnessed by coach Stefano Salieri:
“We played against an extremely physical team, paying a lot for the physical impact but holding well until 57-57 at the end of the third quarter. Then a series of turnovers generated by lack of clarity in attack and the many missed free throws weighed heavily on the economy of the match. Trapani took off with a series of easy solutions on the counterattack, imposing themselves deservedly. We gave what we could until we had the right energy to compensate for their greater size and greater physicality, so much so that we didn’t suffer too many rebounds. Now we have to try to understand where we went wrong, and try to take a step forward by taking advantage of our suffering to improve and have a more consistent race-2.”
The focus on Trapani
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 Trapani’s quintet are entrusted to the supreme talent of JD Notae, an American guard fresh 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
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 and best on the pitch in game 1, 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.
Trapani won 90-69 game 1 and is leading 1-0 in the series.
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