The first match Olimpia played in the arena formerly known as Palalido (now Allianz Cloud) in 1960 was against Varese. It was a top-of-the-table clash between two teams that would dominate the next two decades. One of the great classics of Italian basketball, which at times recalled the historic rivalries of the Italian sport and split Italy’s fans in two, returns on Monday Night in Milan right in its natural home in Piazza Stuparich. Olimpia intends to give further strength to its comeback in the standings which has led it to one victory from the record currently shared by Bologna and Brescia. The direct clash with Germani is upon us (next Sunday) so the moment of the season is already crucial and we need to get there with another success after the seven consecutive ones accumulated so far, three of which away, in Cantù, Napoli and Tortona.
NOTE – EA7 Emporio Armani Milano-Openjobmetis Varese will be played on Monday 26 January at 8pm at the Allianz Cloud in Milan. Click here to purchase tickets.
THE REFEREES – Manuel Attard, Andrea Bongiorni, Alessandro Nicolini.
COACH BEPPE MANGONE – “Counterattack, pace, game in transition, one on one in the open field are the characteristic traits of Varese. It is a team that shoots a lot from three and is capable of great offensive bursts especially when it manages to impose its rhythm. The addition of Carlos Stewart and Ike Iroegbu has increased the quality and solidity of the guard department made up of great athletes and great runners. We will have to play a disciplined defensive game in order to control their rhythm and vary the solutions in attack.”
OPENJOBMETIS VARESE OUTLOOK – The latest arrival in Varese is the first scorer: Carlos Stewart jr, twenty-three year old point guard, in his first year as a professional (he comes from Santa Clara), after starting the season in Hamburg, has arrived in Varese where he produces 19.0 points per game, he has 65.9% from two, 34.1% from three but on 6.8 attempts on average. Another player who arrived at the start of the season is Ike Iroegbu, a creative point guard with 15.9 points and 5.1 assists per game. The wingers are Davide Alviti and Tazè Moore. Alviti, who plays over 30 minutes per game, shoots 41.4% from three with 6.2 attempts on average, then grabs 4.1 rebounds and scores 11.4 points per game while shooting very few two-pointers (less than two attempts on average). Moore, who also spent over 30 minutes on the court, scored 11.6 points, grabbed 5.4 rebounds and distributed 4.3 assists on average. Finnish national Olivier Nkamhoua averages 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds, shooting 57.2% from two. These are the reference players of Coach Kastritis’ team. Then there is Matteo Librizzi, a product of the Varese youth sector, who debuted this year in the national team and scores 9.9 points per game with 38.2% from three. Guard Allerik Freeman is the sixth foreigner (4.5 points on average). Elisee Assui, one of the best Italian prospects, plays 22.4 minutes on average, generally starting from the bench, with 4.3 points and 4.4 rebounds on average.
PREVIOUS Vs VARESE – In the early part of the 1970s, the rivalry between these two teams reached very high peaks. For three consecutive seasons, in 1971, 1972 and 1973, the Italian title was awarded through a play-off on neutral territory (twice in Rome, once in Bologna) between these two teams. Varese won twice, Milan prevailed on one occasion, on 4 April 1972 when Simmenthal defeated Ignis 65-60 in Rome, making up for Manuel Raga’s 25 points and Dino Meneghin’s 22 with 13 rebounds. Olimpia had four men in double figures and won the rebounding battle 35-27 thanks to Arthur Kenney with 12 points and 16 rebounds. Renzo Bariviera had 12 points, 6 steals and scored two key free throws in the final, the two guards Iellini (10) and Brumatti (14) scored 24 points as a duo. The most dramatic playoff, however, occurred earlier, in 1966: Varese decided to field the Italian American Tony Gennari and won 74-59. The scudetto was awarded to Simmenthal by default when it was established that the use of Gennari (who had only become Italian the day before the match) was to be considered irregular. There was another play-off in 1962, also won by the then Simmenthal. Overall, the balance between the two teams is 115-77 for Olimpia; 634-28 for Olimpia in Milan, 46-46 in Varese, 5-3 for Olimpia on a neutral pitch.
LA VARESE CONNECTION – Nico Mannion played 21 games with Varese, spread over two seasons with 445 points scored and 136 assists distributed. Davide Alviti, who has been in Varese for two years, played 66 games with Olimpia between 2021 and 2023, winning two championships and one Italian Cup, scoring 176 points in the championship.
Keep reading
