Trieste, Italy – Pallacanestro Trieste will look to continue its recent momentum when it hosts Umana Reyer Venezia on Sunday, March 22, 2026. The matchup, a key contest in the Italian LegaBasket Serie A, comes on the heels of Trieste’s victories against Trento in league play and Tenerife in the Basketball Champions League (BCL). Venezia, meanwhile, is coming off a win against Udine.
This game presents a significant challenge for Trieste, historically a tough opponent. Venezia holds an 11-4 advantage in prior matchups, including 13 league games and 2 Supercoppa contests. However, Trieste has secured wins in two home games against Reyer, adding a layer of intrigue to Sunday’s contest.
Where and When to Watch
Fans can watch Pallacanestro Trieste versus Umana Reyer Venezia for free on LBATV. The game is scheduled to tip off at 17:00 local time (5:00 PM CET) on Sunday, March 22, 2026. For viewers in other time zones, please check LBATV’s schedule for specific broadcast times.
Injury Report: Key Players Sidelined
Both teams will be navigating significant injury concerns heading into Sunday’s game. Pallacanestro Trieste will be without Davide Moretti, sidelined due to an Achilles tendon issue. Colbey Ross continues his recovery from a soleus muscle injury in his left calf, and Markel Brown is out with a hamstring strain. Jeff Brooks is also on the mend following calcaneal osteoplasty surgery on his right foot to address Haglund’s deformity.
Umana Reyer Venezia will be without Chris Horton, who is nursing a medial calf muscle injury. These absences will undoubtedly impact both teams’ strategies and rotations.
Past Encounters: A Look Back
The teams’ most recent meeting saw Venezia dominate Trieste with a resounding 102-66 victory on October 18, 2025, during the third game day of the season. Cole led Venezia with 17 points and 5 assists, while Wiltjer added 15 points and Bowman contributed 13 points and 7 assists. Historically, Venezia has had a commanding presence in this rivalry, with their last two direct encounters ending in decisive 32 and 36-point victories – the largest margins ever recorded between the two clubs.
Despite Venezia’s overall dominance, Trieste hasn’t lost at home to Reyer since April 20, 2019, when they fell 104-85. The home court advantage will be crucial for Trieste as they attempt to break Venezia’s recent streak.
Familiar Faces: The ‘Ex’ Factor
Several players on both rosters have previous ties to their opponent, adding an extra layer of narrative to the game. For Pallacanestro Trieste, Michele Ruzzier played for Venezia in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. Francesco Candussi progressed through Venezia’s youth system before departing in 2016. Jeff Brooks had three seasons with Venezia (2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24), making 106 appearances. Davide Moretti spent the 2024/25 season with Reyer, and Pietro Iannuzzi came up through Venezia’s youth ranks.
On the Venezia side, Jordan Parks played 58 Serie A2 games for Alma Trieste in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. Alessandro Lever had two seasons with Trieste (2021/22 and 2022/23), and Giga Janelidze played for Trieste in A2 during the 2017/18 season and the beginning of 2018/19. Notably, Denzel Valentine completed the 2024/25 season with Trieste, averaging 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.
Valentine on Returning to Trieste
Denzel Valentine, now with Umana Reyer Venezia, expressed his excitement about returning to Trieste. “I’m really enthusiastic to return to Trieste, an environment I realize well and will be happy to rediscover,” Valentine said. “It will be a very competitive and certainly intriguing game to play. The home-court factor will give our opponents a big hand: I know how decisive their fans can be in winning games. As for me, when I’m on the court, I always strive to help the team in any way possible. It doesn’t matter what is asked of me, my only priority and my greatest happiness is the victory of the group. I have a positive character by nature and I know we have a strong team. Our potential is very high: if we continue to stay united, we can achieve truly important goals.”
The game promises to be a compelling matchup, with both teams eager to secure a victory. The officiating crew for the game will be Tolga Sahin, Alessandro Nicolini, and Gian Lorenzo Miniati.
Following Sunday’s game, both teams will continue their Serie A campaigns with upcoming fixtures to be announced. Stay tuned to Archysport for further updates and coverage of the Italian LegaBasket Serie A season.
