TRIESTE Maybe it won’t be today, more likely tomorrow or at least it will postpone by a few days. But this time the announcement will come. The marriage between Pallacanestro Trieste and Michele Ruzzier becomes reality.
The only competing club, Reggio Emilia, withdrew for two days already, the deal is considered concluded on the Bologna side, only Trieste maintains reserve and a low profile as if to exorcise the memory of a few seasons ago when the return of the prodigal son in the evening he seemed defined and the following day he instead took the road to Varese.
This time it shouldn’t happen also because some situations and some conditions have changed. In the last year and a half at Virtus Bologna, Ruzzier has participated in experiences at the highest level but has been able to taste the parquet very little and with these premises it seems unlikely that the contract expiring in June 2023 will be extended. At 29, it is legitimate for a player up to two years ago in the blue circle to want to get back into the game and make up for lost space. He obviously wouldn’t do it for a timed engagement but in this case the conditions would lead to 2024.
In addition to returning to his city, there are other favorable conditions. The relationship with Marco Legovich, for example. In recent summers, Ruzzier has also taken part in the summer sessions of individual technical work started by the red and white coach. He knows he has the coach’s trust and he knows it won’t come from Corey Davis’ substitution. One of the brakes in the negotiation a few years ago was the risk of spending the championship backing up Lobito. The US point guard is currently close to 35 minutes of average employment but, as Legovich himself has repeatedly reiterated, he is also able to play as a guard. On the contrary, to express himself he needs to feel the pressure lightened by being employed for some phases without the responsibility of directing. The distribution of playing time would naturally lead to an increase in Bartley’s use as a small forward, for a short but aggressive quintet.
Furthermore, from a technical point of view Ruzzier does not overlap with Davis with respect to which he has some more marked playmaking characteristics, for example in the ability to trigger long shots. An interesting perspective for Trieste now that he has discovered he can get points from Pacher and Spencer. The latter after a few races as a rarely served moloch and with a mismatched timing in the alley-oops showed that he too can bring home some points if primed well.
Meanwhile, on the way to Sunday’s confrontation in Assago, today Pallacanestro Trieste will face Gesteco Cividale in a friendly behind closed doors (well…). While waiting for Ruzzier, he will meet again on the Lever parquet. A step at a time.
