Bertram looking for answers from the direct clash with Brescia in the playoff zone. Coach De Raffaele's words
The challenge to Germani Brescia It carries with it many meanings for the Bertram Derthona. The tour de force of 7 matches in 22 days between Serie A and Champions League ends with the success in Trapani. It is the last effort before taking a bit of rest – internationals called up excluded (Severini with Italy, Strautins with Latvia, Vital with Armenia) – for the commitments of the national teams in the first break of the 24/25 season. But, above all, the match of tomorrow at 17: 30 al PalaEnergica Paolo Ferraris of Casale Monferrato for the 'eighth day of Serie A Unipol it is a direct clash in the playoff zone with answers, obviously not definitive, on the strength of the credibility of Tortona's candidacy to qualify for the Final Eight of the Italian Cup in the round that makes it go over the halfway point of the first half of the season. Among the contenders there is a victory of distance in the standings in favor of the guests, in the third-placed group at 10 points, 2 more than the black and whites who are seventh with Reggio Emilia but in fact eighth having just lost the direct clash with the Emilians.
BLACK BEAST Against the Lombards of the fresh ex Chris Dowe and Peppe Poeta, making his debut this year as head coach, Derthona will try to restart in the championship after the two mocking ends of the game in the away games against Virtus Bologna and Reggio Emilia, followed by the home success in the Champions League against Benfica. Brescia, capable of putting together great team numbers thanks also to the presence of important individuals such as Della Valle and Bilan, has a happy relationship with away games, having won three out of four with the blitzes in Scafati (93-95), Reggio Emilia (68-80) and last week in Cremona (89-100), losing narrowly at home in Milan (88-85). Tortona however responds with a fortress-like record at the PalaEnergica, five wins out of six between the championship and cup with the only defeat also coming in its case for a single full possession of distance. With the victory, the Bianconeri would break the Brescia taboo, always victorious in the last five direct clashes between the league and the Super Cup.
STATEMENTS “Brescia has a very respectable roster, they are playing very fluid basketball, especially offensively, with a lot of points in their hands as seen in the last game in Cremona”, says the coach Walter De Raffaele. "The idea of having a solid defense will be very important, especially in containing one-on-one situations and knowing that there are not only Bilan and Della Valle but many other players who can cause harm. It is a game that comes before a break, at the end of a very long period, so it will require an extra effort in terms of concentration and intensity. Playing at home we count on the help of our fans, which is essential for gaining energy. We hope they can really push us. We come from a very, very tough period. – continues the Tortona coach – with 4 away games in the last 6 games. We knew this was a risk when playing in the cups, so there is also a period of adaptation for players who have never played double duty, whether they are Italians or foreigners we took in the summer. Just as we have to take into account the path of American players who have to fully enter into these rhythms, in the knowledge of the players within a team group, given that we have invested in rookies for our championship and who have arrived from different championships. All this has had an impact and so there is a lot of pressure in these weeks. However, we also trust in the fact that ours is a group that has always shown that it can compete against anyone with great desire and that it is very compact”.
THE ALPINE PANETTONE The National Alpine Association proposes the sales campaign of the Panettone degli Alpini 2024 with the theme “The Dream of Peace of the Alpini”. On the occasion of the challenge with Brescia, at the entrance of the PalaEnergica there will be a stand where you can buy the cake, contained in a tin box on which is depicted an eagle holding an olive branch in its talons and the writing “Siamo Alpini Uomini di Pace”. The proceeds from the sale of the panettoni, costing 12 euros each, will go to the ANA project in Mozambique for the construction of a church with an oratory in the city of Pemba.
