by Michele Longo (Vox&One podcast)
Brindisi 15 May 2024 – A relegation after 12 consecutive years in Serie A and the sports structure to be rebuilt (for Piero Bucchi as new coach all that is missing is the official status), but Happy Casa Brindisi also has many reasons to smile.
In fact, if the “big ones” have disappointed, the “little ones” give great satisfaction and stand as the main representatives of youth basketball in the South.
Happy Casa Brindisi U17 Eccellenza has in fact qualified for the national finals and it will be the only team to represent the south in the event which will be held in Agropoli (Salerno) from 20 to 26 May.
“The first results are starting to arrive – he explains Mino Guadalupi, DS of the Happy Casa Brindisi youth sector – and it’s a nice reward for all the people working on this project. With Tullio (Marino ed.), who has always been a fundamental part of this project, we have planned an average level increase.
It wasn’t as important for us to achieve important results as it was to bring new talents closer to the first team. Thanks to targeted investments in some players we are reaching a really good level“.
Brindisi reached these finals after a very long journey. It first won the regular phase quite easily, in which the teams from Puglia and Basilicata participate; then the masterpiece of the Final Four against Francavilla Fontana, the heavy favorite on the eve and beaten in the semi-final by almost 30 points, New Basket Lecce and Aurora Brindisi.
Finally, the Interzone phase, in which the winners of the Campania group came together, also ended in first place.
Now the national finals in which they will compete in the group of 4 against Vis 2008 Ferrara, Pallacanestro Prato Dragons and SAP Alghero.
The competition takes place within just a week. Four groups of 4, the first goes directly to the quarter-finals, while the second and third will play a play-off to access the direct elimination phase. In short, a full immersion until the final on May 26th.
“We are already satisfied with being the only team from the south – continues Mino Guadalupi – but now the ball begins… and we want to dance”.
But what was the secret of this U17 exploit? DS Happy Casa Brindisi has no doubts: “We immediately found the right chemistry thanks to our coach Luca Laghezza.
His twenty years of experience has made us make the leap in quality, he knows how to train kids on and off the pitch, he is undoubtedly a top player. At the Final Four, against the favorite Francavilla, we won by dominating thanks to the approach we put into play right away, which is all the work of our coach.”
For the national finals, Happy Casa Brindisi will try to sign Papa Mohammed Thioye, a 2009 Senegalese, who with his 200cm height could lend a big hand. The boy has been joining the team for over a month, but he still doesn’t have the OK from FIBA to play due to the inevitable bureaucratic delays.
Despite the first team’s descent into A2, the future of the Brindisi youth teams does not appear to be in danger. “Tullio Marino – concludes Mino Guadalupi – came in person to tell us that relegation will not change the budget one iota. The company invests and will continue to invest in the youth sector.”
Michele Longo
X: @miche_longo82, @VoxAndOnePod
