More a Carroll than a Hawkins or a Polite: the profile of the ideal American player for the young Biella basketball under construction has experience and points in the hands as fundamental requirements. “For sure he won’t be a rookie, we can’t afford it,” says general manager Damiano Olla. The identikit is not only theoretical if, as coach Andrea Zanchi reveals, there have already been contacts with some overseas basketball players: «We have identified who would be right for us – explains the rossoblù coach -. And I’ve already spent a few phone calls to get to know them better ». For the names, of course, it’s early, not for the roles: you need a player with physique and aptitude to stay under the basket and a winger who can act as a beacon even in attack. «The team that is being born – says Olla – will not have Laganà, Wojciechowski or Miaschi, who had been hired to act as guides, choosing profiles of foreigners among the prospects. We will have many young people who will need trust and a more expert guide ».
In the minds of the technical staff (who are waiting to officially re-embrace Andrea Niccolai in the role of assistant), the seniors will also be very young. This is the case of Matteo Pollone and Alessandro Morgillo, the first confirmed and the second taken after the winning season in Tortona. «Having“ Pollino ”with us again has a meaning that goes beyond the pitch – is the comment of Damiano Olla – and we could not help starting from him. Morgillo has the same characteristics: we will ask both of us for more responsibility than they have had in the past ». The charm of the call from Biella, which also hit Andrea Zanchi, is still a point in favor of the rossoblù who certainly cannot afford engagements and ambitions like those offered by Forlì to Jeffrey Carroll, ready to fight for promotion with a more rich: «It has a value also for the Americans – says the coach -. And it also allows us to choose among the many players who have been offered on loan ».
The pieces of the mosaic should be made up within a few days, both incoming and outgoing where the official response of Simone Barbante is still awaited, attempted by the Stella Azzurra Roma for his first season not as an under. Among the names approached in Biella for a possible replacement is that of Janko Cepic, a Montenegrin who can be registered as an Italian by training, ex Tortona and Eurobasket Rome. There is also an attempt by Ravenna for Nicola Berdini, but the playmaker owned by Venice still has a year of agreement with the rossoblùs.