Orange1 Bassano is the 2024 Italian champion team for the Under 17 Excellence category. This is the latest verdict issued by the splendid Finals which concluded today in Agropoli (Salerno) in a packed Pala Di Concilio. The Venetian derby against Umana Reyer Venezia remained balanced only in the first half, then it was Perez and Carnevale who dug the gap between the two teams (79-60).
Second ever Scudetto in the history of Orange1 Bassano (the only other precedent with the Under 14 in 2019 in Porto San Giorgio), which closed the tournament unbeaten and which succeeded Stella Azzurra Roma in the roll of honour. Third place was won by Conforama Varese, who beat Dolomiti Energia Trento (58-59) in the final thanks to a three-point play converted at the buzzer by Ewanke.
The best quintet of the event included Maikcol Perez from Bassano (also the overall MVP of the Finals), Davide Marini (Venice), Ronny Ewanke (Academy Varese), Patrick Mohamud Mohamed Hassan (Bassano) and Federico Cattapan (Trento).
The best coach of the U17 Eccellenza Finals of Agropoli was voted Reziero Napolitano, coach of Umana Reyer Venezia.
Scudetto final
Orange1 Bassano-Umana Reyer Venezia 79-60 (22-18; 27-16; 18-16; 12-10)
In the first quarter, coach Papi’s game plan was immediately clear, as he wanted to contain Marini’s outbursts with Odzebe’s suffocating marking: a plan that succeeded in the first 10 minutes, with the Venetian winger dry and immediately hit with 3 fouls: Orange1’s first attack came with Perez’s basket (18-12) but the big protagonists at the start were Carnevale for Bassano (8 in 8′) and Macrì for Reyer, 10 points in the first 15 of Venice. At the end of the first quarter Hassan’s magic made it 22-18 and then Bassano flew to +17 (45-28) thanks to an unstoppable Perez, 20 points, 10 rebounds and 30 rating in the second quarter alone. At the end of the first half Reyer, without Vecchiuzzo due to a physical problem, paid 0/9 from the arc in a match in which Bassano was destined to make a loud statement under the basket. In the third quarter the orange advantage settled at 17-20 points, Bassano managed to nip a couple of comeback attempts by the orogranata in the bud, however still without any baskets from the arc after 30 minutes (0/11, 0/14 at the end). In the final minutes Orange1 managed without problems, always maintaining a reassuring lead.
Best scorer and top scorer of the match Maikcol Perez with 36 points, 18 rebounds and 58 rating. For the Italian champions also Carnevale (13) and Hassan (11) in double figures. For Umana 18 points from an excellent Macrì, 13 for Corato and Bonivento.
Coach Napolitano’s analysis at the end of the match: “Congratulations to them, a clear and indisputable victory but also congratulations to my players: today’s final comes at the end of a marathon, the satisfaction lies in the fact that we have grown day after day. We are proud of this group, today Davide Marini who has led us this far had some difficulties but other protagonists emerged. A sign of awareness, maturity, union and common participation. Let’s start again from all these positive signs and from this second place.”
Thus coach Papi, between one shower and another provided by his celebrating players: “We knew that Marini was in a state of grace and we decided to dedicate an asphyxiating marking to him with Odzebe, who was very good. Obviously we are very happy, we knew we were one of the contenders for the title and we got to the end. Sorry for Milan who was unable to arrive in Agropoli with the full team. These guys didn’t spare themselves for a single day, I can say that now. It’s the end of a journey, I couldn’t imagine it being more beautiful than this.” Maikcol Perez, MVP of the final, was also beaming: “I’m happy with my performance but the only thing that matters is the Scudetto for this amazing group: last year we went out in the quarter-finals and were very disappointed, a reason more to get here and win the tricolor. Thank you all”.
Orange1 Bassano-Umana Reyer Venezia 79-60
Bassano: Nistrio, Carnival* 13 (2/4, 3/10), Crestan 1 (0/2, 0/3), Cefis ne, Perez* 36 (15/22), Hassan* 11 (4/7, 1 /4), Angeletti* 5 (1/6, 1/2), Porto Gomes (0/1), Fajardo ne, Fianco ne, Odzebe* 11 (4/10, 1/3), Coulibaly 2 (1/1 ). All. Popes
Venezia: Corato* 13 (5/9), Vecchiuzzo ne, Checchetto 2 (1/3, 0/1), Tommasino ne, Marella ne, Giovacchini, Bonivento 13 (6/9, 0/4), Manente, Eramo* 9 (3/10, 0/2), Natale* 1 (0/2, 0/2), Marini* 4 (0/8, 0/5), Macrì* 18 (6/12). Coach Napolitano
Referees: Biondi, Rinaldi
Third-fourth place final
Dolomiti Energia Trento-Conforama Varese 58-59 (15-11; 18-9; 19-26; 6-13)
Third place goes to Conforama Varese, which closes its excellent Agropoli Finals by overcoming Dolomiti Energia at the end of an exciting “final” and resolved only at the buzzer by the three-point play converted by Ronny Brad Ewanke. At the start, Placinschi (10 in the first 20′) and Acunzo allowed Trento to take an initial significant lead, on the other hand it was Realini’s three consecutive triples that kept Varese upright, which appeared tarnished after the lost quarter-final yesterday in the finale with Venice. Bottelli went into the long interval with just 2 points to his credit, Cattapan’s rainbow earned Trento +12 at 25-13 and then Dorigotti’s triple arrived just before the siren for 33-20. At the start of the third set, Ewanke’s two dunks shook Varese, who then came back into contact with triples from Bosio and Zanitelli. As with the siren of the second quarter, the magic of Dolomiti Energia also arrived in the third quarter, making it 52-46 with another crazy triple from Michetti. Cattapan extended the lead to +8 but Varese didn’t give up and point after point built the comeback that took her to -1 with 57″ left to go with Ewanke’s tap-in. Ewanke himself returned to the line 9″ from the siren at 57-56 for Trento but missed both free throws. In the other line Vittorio Triggiani made it 1/2 and so Varese had the chance to win it, with the offensive rebound converted into a basket again by Ewanke, who then with the extra 5 tenths from the end sealed the red and white overtaking. Up until that point, Gardini’s center was 1/7 on free throws. Immense joy for Conforama, much regret for Trento who controlled the match for large stretches. So coach Molin: “We were not solid in the first half in maintaining a lead that had become significant at a certain point. Well done to them for believing in it until the end, however: it hurts but it is part of the game, it is an experience that we must treasure and that we will need later on.” Coach Gardini’s comment, visibly satisfied at the end of the match: “Evidently this was our destiny, to lose the semi-final against Venezia at the end and then win it today in the same way. For us it is an incredible joy, we have arrived here with a team that has no players in the national team, many 2008s and a group that has won the Under 15 scudetto. Even the technical staff with whom I work have known each other for 20 years, it is wonderful get results this way. In the first half we were in mainly psychological difficulty, at the long interval I left the boys alone in the locker room and I think they understood on their own that this was not the way to end these Finals. In the second half they entered the field with a different face. Extraordinary.”
Dolomiti Energia Trento-Conforama Varese 58-59
Trento: Dorigotti* 11 (1/3, 3/8), Triggiani V.* 4 (1/4, 0/4), Triggiani T. (0/1), Cattapan* 14 (4/6, 1/11 ), Acunzo* 6 (2/6 from 3), Guerrini 3 (1/1 from 3), Iobstraibizer (0/1 from 3), Machetti 6 (0/2, 2/7), Austin ne, Zanella (0 /1), Delana ne, Placinschi* 14 (4/6, 2/7). All. Molin
Varese: Franceschet* 2 (1/4), Ghidini, Volpe ne, Zanitelli 12 (1/6, 3/8), Realini* 10 (0/2, 3/6), Slimani (0/1, 0/1 ), Tufano ne, Giani (0/2, 0/1), Bottelli* 10 (2/5, 1/6), Terlizzi ne, Bosio* 5 (1/1, 1/7), Ewanke* 20 (9 /13, 0/2). All. Gardini
Referees: Valletta, Di Salvo
THE ROLL OF HONOR
2024 Orange1 Bassano
2023 Blue Star
2022 Conforama Varese
2021 Not played
2020 Not played
2019 Blue Star
2018 Columbus Pgc Cantù
2017 Blue Star
2016 Pegaso Ragusa
2015 Dife Pistoia Basket 2000
2014 Unipol Virtus Bologna
2013 Armani Junior Milan
2012 Virtus Bologna
2011 Virtus Siena
 – Italian Basketball Federation – U17 Final Excellence: Orange1 Bassano champion of Italy, Umana Venezia knocked out in the final (79-60)){kind=link}