«Me, Recalcati, Meo and the Pianella effect. Extraordinary years “

Umbrella in the long drink and away, towards August 15th. Which is also the bridge before the return to Cantù, set for tomorrow morning. One of the last times, if not the last, as a bachelor. Because from the next lap Alessandro Santoro will take the family, in what – sportingly speaking – is the new known domicile.

In the meantime, he enjoys what he has done, and that is a team destined to be a protagonist also in the second season in A2. We took the opportunity to start the tape with the memories engraved on it. Reviewing instants and snapshots. With a lot of Cantù Basketball inside.

Absolutely normal, like many. The confirmation that everyone can have a chance if they put desire, a spirit of sacrifice and determination on the table. Let’s say that I hit goals that, at the beginning, I thought could only be dreams.

The most important crossroads for the formation of character. Because we know that every young person, even with remarkable talent or physical qualities, needs to develop mental characteristics. They always serve and, especially as happened to me, to compensate for everything else. Leading you to compete at high levels. The key is to be mentally tough.

I changed a lot in the transition from the youth sector to professionalism. Coach Elio Pentassuglia changed my mentality and role, turning me into a real play. After all, I grew up with two reference points in Brindisi basketball as Chicco Fiscetto and Roberto Cordella.

Actually, after the A2 in Brindisi, I went back to B to take some slap in the face to mature, before ending up in Ragusa, where in practice I was already in the orbit of Reggio. In the first year in Calabria I found Tonino Zorzi, then there was the extraordinary experience with Carlo Recalcati, who perfected, refined me and paved the way for my career.

The idea, in fact, was to give me up. Then there was a preparation tour in the States and there I changed my mind about who I was, what I could give and how to improve. A story of sensational satisfaction began for me, for us, for the team and the city. Moments that everyone still remembers and that are unlikely to return.

He was, and is, one of the best coaches at understanding what he has in front of him and what it takes to get the most out of the players and the team. Lucid in his choices and decisions. Dialogue and mediation are his strong points. With me it made a difference, helping me to give 200%, not just for myself, but for the group. There is a gift of him, however, which is undoubtedly the most important of all: he is a decent person.

I owe to him what I learned as a player and manager. Because perhaps too often we limit ourselves to emphasizing the qualities of the coach Recalcati, but he is also ahead of the managerial level, with an innate ability to transfer even the experience. The two years with Montegranaro formed me a lot in the post career. Teaching me one thing above all: preventing problems. And it helped me a lot.

We never got lost, we always had frequent contact. If I have a doubt or a problem, I know who to call: him. I admit. And I think it is a strength, not a weakness.

Of an incredible physical and mental solidity. And I got this idea in the very short period in which we were adversaries. I remember the year we made the coup in Varese in one of the playoff quarters. In Reggio Calabria, in the return leg, he was the decisive player, he took the team on his shoulders and took us all to 1-1, before returning to Lombardy and beating us.

The impression, without turning around too much, is that he had total serenity in being aware of reaching the goal. Of an incredible hardness. He dictated her rhythms, he overturned the situation.

As an opponent and a dreamer child, an incredible impression. Dictated by the names of those you saw with that shirt, from Marzorati to Flowers, Bosa, Riva and Brewer. Just looking at them were awe-inspiring. Holy monsters.

Unique. The feeling was that he was already starting at a disadvantage. In Cucciago I only won once, in 1992/93, but we had Garrett, Volkov, Sconochini, Bullara, Avenia, Lorenzon and Carlo on the bench. For the rest, night.

It seemed to you, entering the Pianella, to take a climb with the top ever further away. Atmosphere that I think everyone suffered a bit in that away match. In Cantù you could breathe the character of the fighter everywhere. It is the magic that has made it possible to build the history of the club.

The new arena must be, and certainly will be, the multiplier of what is happening in Desio today. True, a large building, not ours, but already in the last playoffs we had the perception of what it can become. In the meantime it is our home, until we return home.

Now, however, it is much more than a hope, it is a closer thing. One of the key objectives of a path that can make the city and all the fans dream again.

Absolutely yes. Even as regards the team, times have changed and we can think of doing very good things by spending the right money and leveraging the environment. I have direct testimony of this for what we managed to combine in Brescia with the always full PalaGiorgi of Montichiari. In absolute terms, the contribution of two players is almost worth it.

Play without a doubt Pritchard, player of crystal clear class. Then Ginobili, and I think I do not offend any other comrade, Sconochini, who with his size could play in three roles, Volkov, a phenomenon, and Garrett, the long man perhaps with the greatest impact among those who have ever come to Italy and who he said: “If they jump at you, don’t do it, I’m here anyway”. A warranty.

There is no escape. David Moss, a winner in every square inch of his body.

To Marcus Landry, one of the most beautiful to see among those who arrived in our championship. Who among other things, in some cases, did nothing but take advantage of the ball passed to him by Luca Vitali. They were the basis of the results of a great season in Brescia.