06/18/2024 09:26
Nine long months. Of pain, of frustration, of patience, of passion. Of love for the game that has never gone away. Eimantas Bendzius he’s finally back on the field. He did it with his shirt Lithuaniathe same one he was wearing when last September during the World Cup the Achilles tendon became sore. A sign of destiny, perhaps, before a near future in which the shirt to be put back on will be that of one Dinamo Sassari who waited for him even in one of the most difficult moments of his career.
Problematic
Bendzius’ absence was the biggest problem experienced by Sassari in season. Because it was unexpected, because it was known when the start of the season was less than a month away and because of how the team had been built. Not to mention the knowledge of the environment for which Bendzius would have been an important point of reference in a year already full of changes to absorb. In the plans, the Lithuanian was supposed to be the ideal power forward with a small player capable of creating advantages like Tyree and above all he could have trained with Charalampopoulos a couple that could have coexisted given the two-dimensionality of the Greek. However, everything was postponed by the force of events. So Sassari had to immediately look for a new graft but above all new balances that struggled to arrive. Even when the native of Klaipeda he returned to Sardinia to complete his rehabilitation process. However, after the last siren sounded on May 5th, a new chapter has opened. And the call with the Lithuania national B team confirmed it.
Wait
Seven points in the first outing, twenty in the second, fourteen in the third. Always facing Lebanon, but the feeling that certain things have not changed in any case and that the work done between Lithuania and Sardinia in recent months has brought fruit. The way of being on the pitch also left positive impressions, without too much fear in using the body even in rebounding and defense. “I’m finally back on the court, it’s been a long journey, but I’m extremely grateful and happy to be able to play basketball again,” Bendzius wrote on his social profiles. Dinamo is yet to be completed, but once again the role of the Lithuanian Baltic winger could be crucial. If Sokolowski’s role could be that of a balancer, Bendzius will be the player responsible, as on other occasions, for breaking the balance. That offensive end who should be able to take advantage of the possibility of creating two small players off the dribble and of Halilovic attracting the defense with his back to the basket. Movements and solutions that could open up further space at 6.75. However, the presence of a player like Bendzius offensively forces the opposing defenses above all to make choices, between allowing a more comfortable shot to the specialist born in ’90 or taking an extra step in the area to avoid easy penetrations. An already advantageous situation in itself for a Sassari team that wants to try to have its say in the next year.
Matteo Cardia
