CIVIDAL. The leader Stefano Pillastrini is ready for another challenge. After bringing Gesteco Cividale to A2, the “Pilla” looks forward to a terrible freshman season: applause to the management for the market, no limits to providence and contagious optimism. To the delight of the Eagles people, first the president Davide Micalich. The enthusiasm in the Gialloblù house is tangible and Pillastrini transmits new certainties.
Coach, are you satisfied with the market?
“Absolutely yes. The goal was to confirm the group of the previous seasons, in particular the last one, almost en masse, by inserting some interesting young people and the American Pepper. We are full of enthusiasm, it is the situation we wanted ».
The end result is an atypical team for Serie A2, don’t you think?
“We wanted to maintain the appearance of the previous years, continuing with the game system that has given us so much satisfaction and that we believe can be re-proposed in the higher category”.
How do you explain the choice not to hire any role center?
«High-level centers have very high costs on the market. Either you bet on the mediocre five, or you invest your entire budget. We believe that our longs can play under the boards, in A2 there are several teams without pure centers. Then there are better equipped teams in the paint, like Udine and Cantù, but we are talking about different budgets ».
Is the seasonal goal salvation or can the bar be raised?
«Our goal is to go on the pitch and win games. It is clear that salvation would make us happy, but before setting limits I want to see the team express themselves on the pitch ».
Many of your players are new to or near A2. Could it be a limit?
«I’m boasting: the last time I faced a season like this, I won the A2 Silver championship in Treviso. Now it is clear that we are not competitive at that level, but I am convinced that the enthusiasm will make up for the lack of experience ».
Overall, the A2 market has been quite bubbly. Has the level of the category increased?
«There are many good teams. Everyone entered the market decisively, so I think we can say that the level of the A2 series has risen ».
In your opinion, is Udine for promotion?
«Also in this case I wait for the field before expressing a judgment. Apu is a high-level team, has a great coach and excellent players including Gaspardo, who relaunched with me in Reggio Emilia. He is currently one of the best Italian players. Mussini also did well, another one I had at Reggiana ».
A colleague of the caliber of Franco Casalini died. What memory do you have of him?
«A great memory. He was a high-level coach and an exquisite person. I also played against it, I wore the uniform of the Gira Fernet Tonic, he led the youth teams of Milan. We were opponents on our respective benches and I often met him on the sidelines when he was commenting. It is a great mourning for Italian basketball ».