The Rieti-Derthona pre-match with coach Cavina
TORTONA. «We talked a lot about Reati's departure, about the logistical difficulties of traveling to Casale Monferrato that we and the fans had to endure, but from the beginning the belief of each of us was to find the strength to look forward, without focusing on the problem. Every obstacle has become a springboard to always move forward." The entire journey that Derthona has faced during this season is in the thoughts of coach Demis Cavina. The leader of the Lions responded in this way to those who asked how much the strength demonstrated by the Juventus collective could find its origin in logistical difficulties. The team moved to the PalaFerraris in Casale Monferrato due to the expansion works of the PalaOltrePo' in Voghera and also faced roster changes during the season. «I would start from further back, that is, from what the company managed to overcome with the summer change that we all know well. Since then he has looked ahead, seeking a remedy for every problem, and so has the team. Beyond the placing and the points scored, what makes me particularly proud is the work we have done as a staff in these three years, in which, never a trivial result, we have always thought about growth on and off the pitch. No one would have ever thought of arriving at these results, achieved thanks to everyone's contribution and with the complicity of a group that continues to work to improve day after day." Having secured second place in the standings, there is a playoff starter for Derthona. On Saturday at 20.30pm the Lions will be on stage in a PalaSojourner determined to push Rieti to conquer the second phase of the season. «We are fortunate to have a calendar that in the last days of the championship puts us up against teams that are fighting for their objective, making each match very demanding from a technical and above all mental point of view – comments coach Cavina – All this will prepare us better at the post season, starting with the match in Rieti, on a pitch that I know very well, always very hot and on which we will face a team that plays with great intensity." The value of the opponent is equally well known: «Despite the fact that it can field Americans of great quality, as happens with the majority of A2 teams, I consider Rieti to be a very democratic team, in which all the elements of the roster bring their own contribution to the cause, succeeding , from time to time, to find different protagonists in each game. Excellent defensive organization and development of the counterattack are the additional weapons that have made the difference, especially in home matches." Derthona, for its part, experienced a more complicated week of training than usual: «Unfortunately in the last few days we had to rest Giampaolo Ricci, who was struggling with a rather annoying back contracture.
