The pivot’s progress has been marked since his limited but valued contribution in the 2019 World Cup. He shone in the last National League and now does a special job in Chaco to get sharp to Las Vegas.
We could define Tayavek Gallizzi as a Selection altruist. The brand-new reinforcement of the Institute always delivers what Argentina needs from him, making his teammates shine in search of collective glory. Solidarity is a concept that he had to assimilate from a very young age when, in 2003, the worst flood in the history of Santa Fe left his home under water. That scared 10-year-old boy who was reunited with his mother and sister after two agonizing days became, almost two decades later, one of the rescuers of the national team
In the 2019 World Cup, their averages were 1.7 points and 1 rebound in 6 minutes per game. But beyond the numbers, he had to face players of the stature of Jokic, Gobert or Marc Gasol on a case-by-case basis, and he was never out of tune. “That is a very Argentine essence, that of not surrendering. We had some really good guys in front of us individually, but as a team, we canceled them. We knew that if each of us carried out his mission, the whole would benefit. I think that among all the pivots we made the rivals have a bad time ”, Taya declared on CAB’s Twitch in reference to her limited but valuable involvement in China.
But, of course, Taya did not stay with that and his progress has been constant since that distant 2019. The pivot was one of the best in the last National League and is responsible for the fact that Regatas has reached the quarterfinals, being the player with the highest valuation of with 14.5. In the post he maintained his physical game, hard, fierce and with good fundamentals. But, adapting to the characteristics of modern basketball, he showed ease when passing the ball, and added effectiveness in his mid-distance shot. In 40 games, he averaged 11.7 points (his career high, with 60% in doubles and 33% in triples) and 4.5 rebounds in 22.5 minutes. “One of my objectives was to be an important pivot within the League and I feel that I became one”, confessed the 2m06 Santa Fe who was chosen within the Ideal Quintet of the tournament.
One of the promoters of his arrival at La Gloria is Lucas Victoriano, who knows him like few others and who precisely arranged his departure from the rower to move to the Cordovan club. Consulted by this new opportunity of the santafesino in the selected one, the ex Generación Dorada transmits that “It is important to see how he is preparing since the end of La Liga, since the days before training with the preselection are key and he is working right now with my assistant. He must arrive physically well and, as his body feels comfortable, he will improve in all facets “.
“He still has the ability to play low post, and he is currently looking more confident in his shooting. Defensively, as always, he is a great spare wheel for the team. It can contain shorter players, and even taller and stronger players in a very good way ”, the coach analyzes. And regarding the filming of Taya with Argentina, he adds: “Until now, it seems to me that the National Team has settled for putting up good blocks, but it is capable of doing many other things, I hope it encourages itself to try more. His game depends a lot on his head and self-esteem. If he’s confident, he’s going to help the team a lot ”.
Accompanying this idea, Gallizzi stated that “When I entered the field, I thought about doing the best for the team, respecting the systems, putting up good curtains, and getting my teammates to be left alone. I focused on that job and on defending “. The pivot knows he has solid gifts for toasting, but he also understands his role well. He is one of those necessary players, who may not shine in the eye, but his contribution, the dirty work, cannot be measured only with statistics.
After a short break, Gallizzi settled in Villa Angela to get ready for Las Vegas. There, he performs double shift work with Titi Barsanti, Victoriano’s assistant who temporarily moved to the city of Chaco to assist him. “I am based here, because here is my wife. The Unión Progresista and Alvear clubs gave us the keys to the stadium to train. I also go to a very complete gym, and even the provincial government enabled the sports center for us, so I am very happy and getting the most out of it ”, reveals Tayavek.
Barsanti himself informed CAB press what “In the morning, we do the gym and transfer to the court with intermittent workouts, combining speed passes with transitional play actions. In the afternoon, we practice match situations such as the pick and roll and fall to the hoop, one of its strengths. In the paint, we focus on the 1v1, looking to strengthen his right hand and increase the effectiveness of his left hand. We’re relying a lot on the consistency of his mid-range shot, automating that throw that he didn’t used to take before. And we also train his leg mechanics, from the mid post, low post and in front of the basket. Finally, we want to give volume to his three-point shot, always stimulating his confidence to shoot ”.
“I have my limitations, I try to have many strengths, but still at 28 years old I am a growing player”, Gallizzi emphasizes. From China onwards, we meet someone evolved in many ways, and he explains it this way: “Taking care of important balls and closing games helped me to be calmer. I think I evolved a lot technically, I am better in passing, I recognize the spaces more, I protect the ball better, I make fewer losses and I stand better on the court ”.
Pulsing what is coming, the silent worker indicates: “My main goal in preparation is to give 100% to empower my teammates. Whether I am part of the team or not, I will have a clear conscience to be part of the end result. You have to show that essence that is within the Argentine that makes you draw strength and energy from where there is none. That heart must always be in order to be part of an Olympic Games Selection. I hope I am up to the task “. We will soon know what Sergio Hernández’s decision will be, where the preparation with the team and the pre-competition friendlies will greatly influence. What we can be sure of is that Taya will leave every last drop of sweat in search of her Olympic goal.
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