Bertram at the Lovari Trophy in Lucca as reigning champion, today at 21 pm semi-final with Pistoia. All the races live on our YouTube channel
Bertram Derthona faces another preseason event . Another four-team tournament awaits them, closing out the work week after the last one in Trapani. This time, they'll take another step forward in their preparations for their debut in the 2024/25 Serie A championship, scheduled for Sunday, September 29th at 5:00 PM against Vanoli Cremona on the home court of the PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris in Casale Monferrato. For the first time , Walter De Raffaele 's team will face a tournament featuring only opponents the Bianconeri will also face in the league. The opportunity is offered by the 9th Carlo Lovari Trophy in Lucca , where Bertram will meet Estra Pistoia , Umana Reyer Venezia , and Napoli Basket at the PalaTagliate in the Tuscan city.
SCHEDULE The Bianconeri take to the court today for the second semifinal at 9:00 PM against Estra Pistoia . Previously, the other semifinal was played at 6:30 PM between Umana Reyer Venezia , playoff seed last season and expected to enjoy another season at the top of the standings, and Napoli Basket , winner of the 2024 Coppa Italia. Tomorrow's finals are up for grabs at the same times as the semifinals, with the first for 3rd/4th place at 6:30 PM and the second for the trophy at 9:00 PM. Last year, Bertram took home the title, arriving as the defending champion thanks to their victory in the final against Venezia. This is a match that the tournament schedule could potentially repeat for the third year in a row, given that two summers ago it was once again Tortona vs. Venezia for the title, with the Venetians prevailing. Unlike Trapani, where they finished in third place after an overtime defeat in the semifinal against Partizan Belgrade and a victory in the consolation final over the Japanese Ryukyu Golden Kings, coach De Raffaele will be able to count on a full roster thanks to the return of American guard Christian Vital , who has recovered from the shoulder problem that caused him to miss both matches in Sicily.
PISTOIA: Pistoia's roster, a revelation in Serie A last season, has been completely overhauled, finishing sixth in the regular season as a newly promoted team. Italian-American Dante Calabria has been hired as coach – his debut as head coach in the Italian top division – replacing Nicola Brienza. Only the two players who had the longest tenure with the red and white jersey since last year remain: captain Gianluca Della Rosa and Lorenzo Saccaggi. Eric Paschall, a 28-year-old power forward and former NCAA champion with Villanova and former second-round pick in the NBA Draft with three seasons as an American pro, arrived in Italy only last Wednesday. The former Golden State and Utah player, along with another new American on the roster, Elijah Childs, was absent from last week's opening loss against another Serie A team, Givova Scafati, a 91-55 victory in Rome.
TICKETS: A season ticket that includes all four matches costs €30, €20 for a single evening (entitles you to see two matches), and €12 for the second match of each evening. Admission is free for anyone under 16. Tickets can be purchased at the PalaTagliate box office, which opens every afternoon at 4:30 PM. You can also reserve your ticket by emailing trofilovari@gmail.com and then paying and picking up your ticket at the box office.
MEDIA All the matches of the tournament will be broadcast live on our YouTube channel Derthona Official TV.
