No festoons, scarves or flags because this is what anti-contagion protocols want: but Edilnol fans want to color as much as possible their first time at the stadium after almost a year and a half. The appeal of the groups of the Barlera curve for Biella-Rieti tonight is to present themselves in the stands wearing a red or blue shirt: “Given the impossibility of organizing choreographies – add the fans in their message – the boys will need our support and even more. So, as far as possible, let us make ourselves heard ». The presence of the public will be yet another variable in a series full of unknowns: the young rossoblù rose would need it, to find more energy in the complicated challenges of the season. He will have it at least for the next two games, today at 20.30 and Sunday at 16, decisive to break the balance with which he returned from Lazio and to bring home salvation on the pitch.
There is so much hunger for basketball in front of the people that even the opponents’ coach Alessandro Rossi can’t wait for it to happen, even if to his possible disadvantage: «It was a pleasure to play on Tuesday in front of noisy stands. I am happy to find them like this also in Biella, in a beautiful and important building like ours. I am convinced that it will be a good show ». But it is also a playout challenge where the fun necessarily takes a back seat to the result. Edilnol must quickly find its certainties, starting with the points and the support of its two Americans: if Carroll at least tried, Hawkins seemed out of the game in race-2. And Squarcina cannot grant advantages to an opponent who has proven to be able to hide the weak points very well, first of all the physical problems that limit rotations and force some of the players on the field to grit their teeth to mask the problems. There should be no news for the blue-amaranth compared to Tuesday, with the possibility of recovering the long Riziero Ponziani, stopped by the coronavirus, perhaps only for race-4. In the same way Squarcina should have the whole team. In the 72 hours between games there is not enough time to insert technical variables. Above all, head and heart count: Rossi, the opposing coach, knows: «You have to play them all to the last breath». And Squarcina’s music doesn’t change: «We have to remember that we are in the playout. We cannot let their energy overwhelm us. We will try to make people understand how important it is to fight for 40 minutes in such races ». Today the live TV will only be on Lnp Pass by subscription or pay per view and not on ReteBiella as in the regular season.
