Demis Cavina: “Team and public together chasing another great result”
Just over twenty-four hours before game 5, coach Demis Cavina and captain Luca Garri took stock of the situation at Derthona. The Juventus coach took inspiration from game 4, with a cold judgment on the PalaBam battle: “We paid a huge price for two statistical data in particular, conceding attacking rebounds and shooting with very low percentages from the field. To improve our percentages, we must play basketball more similar to our current characteristics, therefore trying to run more in transition. To do this you need to take clean rebounds, following good defense. It is clear that we create a physical gap for our opponents; to fill it we must collaborate better in defense and deploy the aggressiveness that distinguished us in game 1 and game 2.”
Coach Cavina does not see the importance of the match as a danger for his Lions: "I don't think it's a question of this type, because many of our players are having their first experience in the playoffs and can't wait to play games of this type, which however must be experienced with equal clarity, without thinking about the next day.”
The Lions will find PalaOltrePo', a true "sixth man on the pitch" these days: "I expect a great emotional boost, which the boys deserve and extremely need. The spirit must be unilateral, on the pitch and in the stands, so that together we can reach another historic goal."
Meanwhile, the team continues with its recovery and finishing work: “In recent days we have planned rest and therapy for Davide Alviti, who came out of race 4 with a back injury after a fall in the final stages. Giampaolo Ricci will be present as always, who is gradually removing the brace from his wrist and is starting to train continuously again."
Captain Luca Garri is also on the same wavelength: “Thursday's match will be a special one, to be faced with the right approach. We showed that we can beat our opponents, especially at home, while in game 3 and game 4 we struggled a bit on some aspects of the game on which it is essential to improve. We need to take a step forward in defense and rediscover the feeling with the missed basket in the two PalaBam games; in this respect, returning to play at home should be an advantage. It will be a real battle, because Mantua will return to PalaOltrePo' with confidence, but we want to win and we will give our best to give another great joy to ourselves and to the whole environment."
