Modernizing a Historic Basketball Hub

The renovation project targeted several outdated elements within the gymnasium to bring the facility up to modern codes. Contractors removed the old false ceiling, completely rewired the electrical system, and installed energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the arena. The building also received a fully compliant fire safety installation, completely renovated locker rooms, and a modern methane-fueled boiler to replace the aging heating system.

The project secured all necessary safety and structural certifications prior to the Saturday afternoon reopening. The upgrades aim to preserve the building’s status as a central pillar of community life in Jesi while providing a safe, contemporary environment for athletes.

Honoring Club History and Local Legends

The inauguration ceremony bridged generations of local basketball figures, drawing players, municipal leaders, and veteran club members to Via del Prato. Attendees included Jesi Deputy Mayor and Sports Councillor Samuele Animali, alongside Don Adelio Papi, parish priest of San Sebastiano.

CAB Aurora Jesi board members Alberto Coppa and Franco Scipioni spoke during the event, recounting the history of the gymnasium and invoking the memories of Aurora Basket founders Don Roberto Vigo, Carlo Barchiesi, Primo Novelli, and Gianni Rossetti. Speakers emphasized that the facility remains deeply tied to the collective memory of generations of families, coaches, and players.

Basket Jesi Academy Unveils 2026–27 Youth Programs

The reopening coincided with the official presentation of the Basket Jesi Academy’s competitive programs for the 2026–27 season. The club enters the new campaign with approximately 60 athletes distributed across four distinct youth groups: three elite Eccellenza squads in the Under 15, Under 17, and Under 19 categories, alongside an Under 19 Gold team.

Club leadership emphasized the organization’s commitment to youth development. «Investire, ancor più convintamente, nell’attività di settore giovanile», the club stated regarding its core sporting philosophy, noting that the roster blends local prospects with talent recruited from across Italy.

Gianluca Pizi, the Academy’s technical director, reflected on returning to the renovated facility. «Ripartiamo dai grandi risultati della passata stagione per cercare di confermarli e migliorarli. Farlo in una palestra che contiene in sé così tanta memoria della pallacanestro jesina è un orgoglio e una responsabilità», Pizi stated.

Building on Historic Youth Successes

The club enters the 2026–27 season following notable achievements in youth competition. Last year, the Under 17 Eccellenza squad reached the national top eight in Italy, advancing to the scudetto finals in Agropoli after a quarterfinal run against Olimpia Milano. Meanwhile, the Under 19 Eccellenza side finished among the top 24 teams nationally, securing a place in the country’s top sixty ranked academies.

Altero Lardinelli, a member of the board of directors, highlighted the ambitions of the club’s multi-year project. «Abbiamo la nostra casa rimessa a lucido. I progetti triennali come il nostro sono molto ambiziosi, già lo scorso anno abbiamo raggiunto un risultato storico per Jesi, arrivando tra le prime otto d’Italia con la nostra Under 17, vogliamo riconfermarci», Lardinelli noted.

Coaching and Technical Staff for 2026–27

Basket Jesi Academy confirmed its technical assignments ahead of the upcoming fixtures starting Monday, September 28, 2026:

• Technical Director: Gianluca Pizi
• Team Manager: Luca Ortenzi
• Strength and Conditioning Coach: Massimiliano Bacchetti
• Physiotherapist: Luca Varani
• Under 19 Eccellenza: Head Coach Christian Merani; Assistant Coaches Paolo Filippetti and Gianluca Pizi; Team Companion Francesca Marconi
• Under 19 Gold: Head Coach Gordan Firic; Assistant Coach Michele Mosca
• Under 17 Eccellenza: Head Coach Gianluca Pizi; Assistant Coaches Lorenza Cavalaglio and Riccardo Cecchini; Team Companion Luca Ortenzi
• Under 15 Eccellenza: Head Coach Gianluca Pizi; Assistant Coaches Riccardo Cecchini and Lorenza Cavalaglio; Team Companion Luca Ortenzi

The teams begin regular competition on the newly certified parquet floor of the Primo Novelli gymnasium following the completion of the opening weekend ceremonies.