The bitterness for the playoff goal that was very close and then slipped away in the final stages of the championship has not yet been digested. Being in the top 8 for 90% of the season, dominating in the first phase with a sensational second place in the standings, winning the Italian Cup with a great show and then being forced to stay and watch the challenges for the Scudetto really hurts. But as a final balance, Gevi’s progress can only be considered excellent. Meanwhile there is another match to play before going on holiday and it is today’s derby at 6.15pm against Givova Scafati who also honored the championship by saving themselves 3 days early. Patron Longobardi is very keen on this appointment. And therefore the yellow-blue team will have been properly catechized. For its part, Gevi will want to honor the last team at home by greeting this season’s extraordinary crowd with a victory. Coach Milicic says on the eve: «I want to finish with my head held high and that’s what I will ask of my players». And today’s challenge is the opportunity to make a first analysis of the season with the top Italian manager, Federico Grassi.
President, what derby will we see today at the Fruit Village Arena PalaBarbuto? A rose water match with your head on holiday or a real match?
«I hope for a worthy closure and a good basketball show. We must respect the derby and above all the fans who will come to see us. This year we had truly exceptional support from the audience, always sold out, great warmth and affection. And I hope that at the end of the race we can deserve their applause.”
Now the game is over, what is your assessment of this season?
«It’s bittersweet. Excellent until we won the Italian Cup, then I would say almost disastrous, with 4 wins out of 15 games and the wasted chance of making the playoffs that we had in hand and which would have consolidated us as a top team. I feared a decline after the triumph in Turin, I imagined that the players would struggle to get their feet back on the ground and this happened, despite the great work that we all did, starting with the coach, Pedro Llompart and Alessandro Dalla Salda to make them bad and focused again. But we didn’t succeed. So I would say from 8 up to the Cup, but then the final grade drops to 6.5.”
Will we start again from Milicic and Llompart?
“Yes. The coach has another year on his contract and therefore for us he is the coach for next season. It was good here, he won a trophy. I don’t think anything different could happen. And of course the technical director Llompart will also be there. For the team I would say that it’s too early to talk about it now. Let’s play the last match first.”
The new sports hall? News was expected in March from the administration for the concrete project in East Naples. But it did not arrive.
«The Municipality is working hard on the project in the eastern area, we still need to have a little patience, we await news from Mayor Manfredi shortly. The thing is moving forward, so I have faith.”
