Against Venice, Bertram wants to stay on the Final Eight train. Coach De Raffaele's words
Bertram Derthona is preparing to host Umana Reyer Venezia for the eleventh day of the Unipol Serie A. Tomorrow at 20:45 at the PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris in Casale Monferrato there will be a direct clash between teams that follow each other closely in the standings, with ninth-placed Tortona two points ahead of eleventh-placed Venezia, respectively at 10 and 8 points. With five games to go in the first half of the season, the standings of which will determine the qualifiers for the Coppa Italia Final Eight, it will therefore be a challenge between opponents united by the desire to remain attached to the train of the "magnificent eight" that will go to the tricolor kermesse in Turin. The teams come to the match united by their midweek commitments played in Europe, but with opposite results, with Derthona continuing their seasonal unbeaten run in the Champions League with a precious victory in Chemnitz and Reyer losing at home to Cedevita Olimpia Lubiana in the Eurocup, currently exiting the play-off zone there too.
HIGH ALTITUDE K2 The Venetians of Croatian coach Neven Spahija are still looking for their best form, despite being able to count on the explosion of Mfiondu Kabengele as one of the top players in the championship (all-time record holder in rating, total rebounds and offensive rebounds). The Venetian center will be the protagonist of one of the most anticipated duels of the match, the one at very high altitude inside the area between his 208 cm and the 211 of Ismael Kamagate, who responds to the numbers of the Canadian with equally dazzling numbers both in the championship and in the Champions League. The 23-year-old French pivot has just recorded two new all-time records in a single season in the nine years of existence of the top European club cup of FIBA: with the 5 blocks against Chemnitz he became the first player in the history of the competition to have scored five or more in at least three games, as well as the first to have collected three games with at least 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 blocks. He also holds the title of current best offensive rebounder and shot blocker in the Champions League.
WINNERS EX Obviously a match with a special flavour for Juventus coach Walter De Raffaele, winner of two league titles, an Italian Cup and a FIBA Europe Cup in his long time on the bench of the Lagunari, where he shared one of the two national titles and the European cup with Paul Biligha, the other former orogranata of Bertram.
MATCH SPONSORS Riccoboni Holding will be the match sponsor of the challenge. The Parma-based company specializing in the treatment and disposal of special waste, a partner of Derthona Basket since 2022, will honor participants in the DB Game at halftime with a personalized t-shirt and will award the winner with one of the Derthona Basket merchandising items.
STATEMENTS “Venice is a top-level team, built with a roster to go all the way in all competitions, Serie A and Eurocup,” these are the coach's words on the eve of the match De Raffaele. "An opponent with many players who can do damage, one of the important things will be to contain their offensive talent defensively, which is expressed in many ways, in the open field with Ennis, Parks and Wiltjer himself, in the area with the presence of Kabengele, who is having an excellent season. It is therefore difficult to be able to concentrate on just one element of their squad. It will also be important to equalize the physical impact and the fight for the rebound, because they are a team physically structured in a high way. From the positive match in Germany - keep it going - we must carry with us for the championship the connection and concentration maintained in all moments of the match, with the desire to continue to collaborate and defend especially when the opponents have tried to come back. This is essential to have continuity, because what we have lacked, beyond the cup or the championship, home or away, is this continuous attention in facing each match as each match, especially in Serie A, is open in any direction”.
