Five years ago the triumph at PalaDozza. Coach Arioli's memory: ʺAn unforgettable eveningʺ
A historic triumph, an evening that Juventus fans will never be able to forget: five years ago, on 19 January 2014, Derthona defeated PalaDozza in Bologna with authority, beating Fortitudo Bologna 61-83, inflicting on them their first home defeat of the season and projecting towards a triumphal season finale, culminating in promotion to Serie A2.
Antonello Arioli, then Derthona coach, wanted to remember that match, starting from the atmosphere that could be felt in the days immediately preceding the match: "It was an important challenge for the group standings: we came into that match as top of the table and had already beaten Fortitudo in the first leg, at home . In Bologna there was incredible anticipation for that match , so much so that even on the eve of the match the sports pages of the newspapers were talking about almost nothing else. I remember a packed PalaDozza, there was an atmosphere we were not used to, but we only felt the emotion before and after the match, as we played an excellent game on the pitch ."
The allure of the Piazza Azzarita arena, the Fortitudo crest, and a passionate crowd: these elements lend even more weight to the feat accomplished by the Bianconeri five years ago. On the field, coach Arioli's team led the charge from the start, " highlighting the limitations of a team like Fortitudo, made up of big names who, however, that season, never managed to capitalize on the surroundings they were playing in. They were under the pressure of having to win throughout the year, and against us, they never found a way to turn the game around . "
After managing to stay in contact in the first half (35-39 at 20'), Fortitudo collapsed in the second half against Derthona, led by Viglianisi (21 points in the second half) who was having a great night: "Kenneth wasn't a pure shooter ," coach Arioli continued, " but I remember he hit five three-pointers in the second half. Overall, as a team, we came into that game in the best possible condition and we knew exactly what we had to do on every possession: walking out to the applause of the PalaDozza at the end of the game was an incredible feeling . "
The PalaDozza victory was the decisive test of maturity for Derthona, who from that moment extended their lead in the standings and launched themselves towards an exhilarating and historic end to the season, culminating in promotion. Regarding the victory of January 19, 2014, coach Arioli added that " it was the highest point in Tortona's history up to that point . Winning in Bologna as top of the table against a full-strength team that fully respected us was something that gave us further strength for the rest of the year. I remember the faces of the fans in the stands and those of the managers : they all expressed a feeling that went beyond satisfaction, it was something beautiful ."
