The 2023 'Nico Messina' Award was delivered yesterday to Ettore Messina
The award ceremony for the fifth annual Nico Messina Prize , held yesterday in the splendid setting of the Civic Theater in Tortona , honors the unforgettable Professor and a great Italian basketball coach. Tortona was the city where Coach Messina began a career that saw him rise to the pinnacle of Italian basketball. A journey similar to that of Derthona Basket, the team where he took his first steps as a coach.
And on such a special and meaningful evening, Ettore Messina , head coach of EA7 Emporio Armani Milano and one of the most successful coaches in our basketball, entered the award's roll of honor.
After Mayor Federico Chiodi 's official greeting and the opening of the event by Derthona Basket President Marco Picchi , Giovanni Lamorte and Gianfranco Pace , Presidents of the FIP and the Basilicata National Coaches' Committee respectively, two icons of Italian basketball, Dino Meneghin and Carlo Caglieris , and Andrea Capobianco , Coach of the women's national team, took to the stage in a prestigious setting moderated by Benedetta Abbruzzese , Communications Director of Derthona Basket . Several anecdotes and memories related to coach Nico Messina emerged during this first part of the evening.
In the second part, the winner of the 2023 edition, Ettore Messina , took the stage and shared his memories of the Professor, some anecdotes from his early days on the bench, and some key moments in his career. The event concluded with the awards ceremony.
In the presence of institutions, representatives of Derthona Basket and BCC Derthona Basket and basketball enthusiasts, the fifth edition of the 'Nico Messina' Award was the opportunity to experience an evening of memories and great basketball.
