REGGIO EMILIA – The season that has just ended represents a sort of rebirth for the Reggiana Basketball. Profoundly renewed, both in the technical staff and in the roster, the Unahotels he took a clear path right from the start, making changes on the fly that ultimately paid off.
Permanence in the top flight has never been questioned, participation in the Final Eight with a near miss, reaching the playoffs with a fifth final position and defeat against Venezia only in game 5. Above all, a PalaBigi that is once again bubbling with enthusiasm. This is the red and white season summed up in a few lines which can only have super positive opinions.
Now, the fans themselves are wondering about the future of this group: who will stay, who will pack their bags, who will join the next adventure, perhaps depending on which European competition they will face next season. Let’s try to understand, now, what we might expect.
Let’s start with the player with the longest-term contract, Sasha Grant. He has signed a three-year contract, he has a lot of potential to grow, due to his exuberant physique and his young age, 22 years old. This would certainly make him a defensive specialist and a possibility for the coach to be able to use him in at least two roles. Nothing prevents us from thinking of him as one of the future prominent athletes for Reggio.
Let’s move on to those who still have a year to spend on the banks of the Crostolo. Matteo Chillo, after Hervey’s exit, he showed his flexibility and ability to adapt to the situation. Like him, too Lorenzo Uglietti he showed off his grit and character. For them, confirmation is practically certain. Another player who will wear the Pallacanestro Reggiana vest is Jamar Smith. He can’t wait to start again for a new season; the club has a charismatic leader, the perfect glue between the locker room and the staff. Different story for Darion Atkins: the former Trento player has often expressed his and his family’s intention to stay in Reggio. The rumors of him being cut during the championship due to a rather fluctuating performance, however, could create the conditions for an interruption of the contract in favor of a more performing “4”, especially in a European perspective.
Let’s see who instead has the contract expiring on June 30th and what their path could be. Captain, Michele Vitali, spent two totally different years, but with a point of convergence. In the first he was decimated by injuries and health problems, while in the second his continuity of performance made him a fundamental player. The aspect that united the two-year period is the transformation from shooter to complete player, good in defense, attentive to rebounding and opportunities for teammates. He would like to continue with coach Priftis and this could be an excellent restart.
Mashed potato Langston Galloway he doesn’t hide his desire to stay in the city. As an experienced NBA player, this new European experience pleasantly impressed him, also due to his quality of life. Now, he will open a discussion with the company, to see if the objectives and interests can be common, enough to continue together.
Similar path also for Tarik Black? The latest arrival, despite having been out of action for a few months, has integrated perfectly into Unahotels’ game, forming with Momo Faye a duo of centers that few Serie A clubs have been able to boast. At 33 years old and with a solid high-profile career behind him, his ambitions and claims to stay should be understood. The fact remains that a renewal would be an important undertaking. Mentioned earlier, Momo Faye he was the real revelation, not only for the via Guasco area, but for the entire league, so much so that he deserved the award for best Under 22 in the championship. Promoted with full marks from supporting player to starter by starting five, the young talent has attracted the eyes of many teams and has also made himself eligible for the next NBA draft. Despite everything, at the moment there are noescape” in the contract and the idea is that the 2005 class, considered untransferable by the club, will remain at Pallacanestro Reggiana for at least another year.
We conclude the roundup of athletes with Alessandro Cipolla And Briante Weber. An extension could be considered for the playmaker produced by Desio, but the impression is that the space available to him is still limited. However, regarding the player from Chesepeake, who finished third in the ranking of the best defenders in the championship, the prices would be decreasing, thus leaving room for the arrival of a new player in this role. Histrionic, galvanizing the public, he ended the season with a decline in performance also due to some physical problems that affected him. If Reggio wants to have a pure play, then they will part ways.
Finally, the contracts still in place with the technical staff and Claudio Coldebella will guarantee continuity of work which, especially in basketball today, is of vital importance to obtain important results. Something that both the company and the entire Reggio Emilia movement aspire to.
