It is not the time for judgments, but rather for impressions. The eye has sifted through tons of basketball, no more reliable ones come to mind, but with the same experience it knows and above all recognizes the insurmountable limit that the inquiring gaze encounters when no contested ball has been lifted: in sport only the confrontation with others he does not know how to tell lies, he cloaks himself in crude objectivity, he knows neither hope nor hope… It is expressed in numbers.
With Toto Bulgheroni, however, today 24th August, while the red and white embryo is starting to acquire complexity in the mountains and far from our eyes, we can still aim straight for the future, estranging ourselves from everything and everyone. A goal can be identified, without fear of making a mistake. In short, we can, indeed we must, set a goal.
Which is very simple: Varese 2022/2023 must be better than those that now belong to the world of more recent memories. As a team and as a club. The same “revolution” Scola, which has changed the connotations of a tradition of almost eighty years, finds meaning in this need for ascent, albeit in a “slow” path, spread over a luster, judicious, anything but unrealistic or dazzled with unsustainable lights: «Luis always says this: the policy of small steps is important. Every year we must be able to do something more than the previous one “.
What then is the goal next season?
«The small step this year will be company and team stability. He asks how long we lived until a few months ago … Together with Scola we made an excursus several times on what happened, on the decisions made, even those that did not see him as protagonist, on bets, both those won and those lost: we were conditioned from the choice of some players, first of all Gentile, then from the contracts signed with the escape that resulted in goodbyes, finally from injuries. We have concentrated in one season experiences that are worth ten. I think that the difference between intelligent people and those who are not intelligent is to treasure these experiences: today we start again with a more solid foundation ».
The “small step” of the team will be …
«… Preclude the fear of relegation. I agree with the gm Arcieri: it is fair to say that we are aiming for the playoffs. Participating in the cups would have helped us to play more games, but we still have a program of 30 games and 150 training sessions ahead: if we have made them bear fruit, we will see where we are… ».
And that of society?
«A more solid company is already a reality with the entry of the Pelligra group. The budget was approved with them and the first installment of their contributions is expected to be paid in a few days. In short, the program goes on as agreed. As for the building, however, the area also involves the Municipality of Varese: personally I hope that there can be an acceleration of the expansion and redevelopment process, waiting to know in detail the projects and proposals regarding the Australian group “.
Back to the team: what impressions did you get from coach Matt Brase?
«Excellent. From him as from all the staff. They are very professional and inclined to take care of details and fundamentals, which for me are everything in basketball. Both group work and individual work have been set up, both very marked: Brase acts with these principles. I am also happy with the presence of Paolo Galbiati: he knows the championship, the fields, the foreigners, the referees… he will allow the American coach to make the best decisions ».
You were able to witness the first training sessions of Ross, Brown and Owens: what quality did you see in them?
«Ross seems to me a point guard with a strong vocation for passing and team play but he is also gifted with a more than decent shot. Brown, on the other hand, looks like the classic shooting guard and it shows that he has European experience. Finally, I was struck by the energy of Owens: she is crazy. He is actually thin, but he runs, jumps, flies, tows. He also has a decent hand, which doesn’t hurt, although everything else is expected from him. I was also impressed by his desire: last Sunday, despite the suspended training sessions, he trained alone anyway ».
The appeal is still missing Johnson, to be discovered, and the Reyes second act?
«I’m talking about Justin: whoever saw him told me they found him physically very tight and this is good. I am also very happy that he is having an international experience: it will help him mature ».
«This year there are kilos and centimeters missing» … What do you answer to those who support him?
«We are light, there is no doubt. But as coach Brase said on the day of his presentation, there is only one basketball, there are no pre-printed labels: you have to be able to defend strong, recover the ball and find easy baskets. The high pace will be a consequence of the defense. What Varese will really be worth will “tell” above all the strength of the other teams: let’s forget about competing with Milan, Bologna, Venice and perhaps also with Brescia and Sassari… How we will express ourselves in front of the others, however, is all to be seen… ».
Beyond the talent and impact of the new ones, do you agree that one of the most decisive watersheds is the growth of confirmed ones?
«Yes, because almost every player on our roster has room for improvement. It’s all up to them: the development of the players depends above all on the commitment and intensity that everyone puts into achieving this goal ».
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