The new Lions of the youth team – Part 1: the Italian national team Conte and the Novara native Fonio Fracchia
Several prospects have been recruited this summer by the Derthona Basket youth teams to further raise the competitive level of the 2023/24 Bianconeri teams. The arrival of 2006-born Montenegrin Andrija Josovic , who spent last season at Pallacanestro Vado, where he played a key role in helping the Ligurian team reach the National Finals and earned the personal satisfaction of being named to the Best Five of the Italian tournament, has already been secured. The first round of presentations for the new Lions begins with two youngsters who will also be key players on their respective teams.
Stefano Conte is a prominent name in the Italian youth basketball scene, as evidenced by his recent call-up to the U18 European Championships by coach Andrea Capobianco. Born in 2005, a 188cm-tall combo guard originally from Anzio, Conte has excelled with his hometown team, Anzio Basket Club, where he was the top scorer in Lazio's Serie C Gold last year. At Derthona Basket, he will be part of the U19 Eccellenza and Serie B Interregionale rosters. " Stefano, his family, and I have liked each other since the first day we met in the gym. We also thank the president of his club, Fabio Lico, for his willingness to help us ," says Andrea Ablatico, director of Derthona Basketball Lab.
Gabriele Fonio Fracchia , a 1.92m winger born in 2007, arrives from Piedmont, playing against us in the same U17 Eccellenza championship. Ablatico continues, " Gabriele impressed me last season when he played against us in the same U17 Eccellenza championship , and as soon as the opportunity to sign him arose, we jumped at it, thanks to our good relationship with the Novara club's technical director, Enrico Marietta. He will certainly raise the bar for coach Rocco's U17 Eccellenza team ."
