Apu, the future in one night or it will still be A2

The Apu Old Wild West returns to the field on Sunday 12 June at the Agsm Forum in Verona (duo at 8.45 pm) and finds itself with its back to the wall after the empty passes in the two midweek matches

UDINE. Now or never. The Apu Old Wild West returns to the field on Sunday 12 June at the Agsm Forum in Verona (duo at 8.45 pm) and finds itself with its back to the wall after the empty passes in the two midweek matches. A sort of absolutely unexpected last resort, a black hole from which we must come out with a performance of character and substance, otherwise it will still be Serie A2.

Forbidden to surrender, everything is still possible. The president of APU Alessandro Pedone spoke again on the eve of game four, to shock the Juventus group.

«After months of hard work, always at the top of the standings and with an Italian Cup on the showcase, we still have to face a very tough obstacle. Seeing so many fans on Friday in Verona filled me with pride and joy, but above all knowing that there are even more signups for game four gives me the awareness that our fans and the whole Apu world still believe in these extraordinary guys, so as I believe in them.

We have only one goal, one idea, one pathos, to bring the series back to game five. We know the value of our boys, they have shown it for ten long months, I have faith in them and I know that today they will fight until the last second for our shirt. Should we need a stock of oxygen cylinders, a battalion of masseurs, we must leave that building without regrets, aware that we have given everything ».

In race three, honestly, almost nothing worked. The APU this season has accustomed us to reactions of great character that on many occasions have led to comeback victories, but on Friday evening there were only a few flames in the first half. Too little to conquer the Agsm Forum, where instead 40 minutes of great intensity are needed.

The list is long. The signs were all there to see: in the frantic victories in race four at San Severo, in race two and three against Chiusi and in race one with Verona. Approaches to the game too soft, poor fluidity in attack, a few blackouts too many, all masked by victories obtained on the razor’s edge. The situation worsened between Tuesday and Friday: a lot of turnovers and offensive rebounds granted to the Venetians, aiming off the line and shooting from three (usually traveling with 38%), ball circulation not very effective.

In game three, moreover, the Juventus team was almost harmless in the heart of the area: just 9 baskets from two out of 32 attempts. Too many men below their standard performance, the longs who are loaded with fouls (for Walters the problem is chronic), almost intangible wing department.

The Apu Old Wild West of these play-offs is not the one admired in the regular season and in the Final Eight of the Italian Cup. One wonders if the decline is physical, mental or both. Game four will clarify many things, but the impression is that the problem is first and foremost in the head. On Friday we witnessed a furious approach to the game by Rosselli and his teammates, a sacred fire that was not seen in the eyes of the players from Udine. By the way After the match, two coaches Boniciolli curried the team saying “we have to decide what we want to do when we grow up”.

Yet the APU is not a team filled with young people, unlike Verona, and the various Antonutti, Giuri, Lacey, Cappelletti and Mussini have abundant A1 and promotions experience. For this reason we are convinced that tonight we will see another Udine compared to Friday and that the games for the promotion are still open.