BASKET
twelve o’clock, April 13, 2021 – 4:50 pm
Captain Zanelli happy after the victory over Milan and the first place
of Carmelo Prestisimone
From the Adriatic the Brindisi vessel has a navigator like Frank Vitucci who traces routes and paths with the usual balance and a hardened captain like the almost 29-year-old Alessandro Zanelli, Benetton Treviso school. The pirate flag was hoisted on the mast because the Salento people did not start from pole position at the start of the championship. There were at least four teams in front: Milan, Venice, Sassari and Virtus Bologna. And Vitucci professed salvation. Today after the twenty-sixth and the extraordinary victory at PalaPentassuglia against Milan (80-71), beaten also in Assago, they are all in pursuit. The coach of the Apulians in isolation and not on the bench for a positive first buffer on the eve, Thompson and Perkins as well. Harrison has been out for two months due to injury.
How did you manage to win Zanelli?
“With the desire, the energy, the talent. There were eight of us. We helped each other, we collaborated. We’ve been doing this all year. It didn’t just happen on Sunday ”.
Without three decisive players, with the ballast of disappointment for the exit from the Champions League. And opposite was Milan.
“Each of us has found the motivation within ourselves. Our audience is extraordinary. It supports us from afar, on social media and on the street. But we go on the parquet. We know that we have to give everything in this final rush ”.
Olimpia held at 71 points.
“Decisive defense. We held up together ”.
How true is this first place meritorious considering the inconvenience of the pandemic and the absence of the public?
“Truer, more real than the other leagues. No external influencing factors. Away wins are simpler. We always believe in triumph. And to overcome the adversaries you have to renounce altruism ”.
He made 6 assists on Sunday.
“And as a team we are 18. Well done”.
Four days at the end of the championship plus the recovery with Sassari, projections?
“Wednesday is Pesaro. It will be tough. We will continue to field sacrifice, generosity, talent for our fans who we always feel close to. In Brindisi there is a lot of basketball ”.
President Marino called it the “Adriatic corridor”: the agreement between you and Vitucci.
“We have a great club and the coach makes us all feel important. It is a pleasure to play for him, for us and especially for Brindisi. We have given great satisfaction not only to the city but to all southern basketball which has not seen a success in the league since the time of the Juvecaserta. Thirty years have passed ”.
How do you place the one against Milan in a hypothetical ranking of the most performing matches played?
“It was the best of the season but the best is yet to come.”
“I’ll stop here, woe to utter that little word. None of us allow ourselves to do that. It would be crazy to believe it ”.
In the age of smartworking, what is the most gratifying message you have received in the last few hours?
“That of my former coaches: from the youth teams to the first teams. It means that we have built authentic relationships over time. They are and we are happy, everyone! ”.
April 13, 2021 | 16:50
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