Akele is motivated: “The goal is to improve last year’s sixth place under the basket we are more solid and experienced, the pressure will certainly increase”
He could also have been in that formidable blue group that, first in Belgrade and then in Tokyo, amazed everyone, even touching the entrance to the medal area. Nicola Akele was the last cut of the National team of coach Sacchetti and therefore he saw the Olympics from the sofa at home; however, he doesn’t even think about letting go of the desire to go back to that shirt.
“Absolutely. The national team is something I care a lot about: I’m happy that the team did very well but also that I was part of this group. However, I am not satisfied and in the future I will try to regain a place: there will be a generational change and with so many emerging players the competition will be fierce, but this will be just one more reason to return to the 12 “.
After the sixth place, you at TvB will no longer be a surprise.
«Certainly there will be slightly higher expectations for us but we also know that the company invests a lot in us, see for example Performance Day, and it wants to have the best from us. When you see that behind you there is a management that encourages you and wants you to grow, this becomes just an additional stimulus. In any case, this is a new season, let’s forget the past, reset everything and enter this new mentality, which must also be European: we want to achieve the goal of qualifying for the Champions Cup, an important goal for the club, team and fans. Treviso wants to do better than last year. And to do better we need to raise the bar and that is our performance: now everyone knows us and it will not be easy. We know the pressure will increase but I consider it a good thing, it means you are doing something important. It will be up to us to maintain the right concentration ».
Apparently you will not sign up for another sixth place.
“No. In the playoffs it would mean still facing the third and underdog parts: we don’t want to stop in the quarter-finals ».
There should be no mattress squares.
«Even the newly promoted companies are making a good market and the others are not joking. It will be a beautiful and interesting tournament ».
With the two long foreigners you have more tonnage.
“We are actually more solid and more experienced, even at the European level. And also the two young people, Casarin and Bortolani, have already had a bit of experience. And those who remained have one more year: a year ago, apart from Logan, we were all quite inexperienced, now the average has risen and I’m sure it will make a difference ».
FRIENDLY. There are two friendlies scheduled by Nutribullet. The first will be played on 25 August at 20.30 at the Palasport in Pordenone against the Austrians of Kapfenberg. The second will be on 30 September, in Camposampiero against Ferrara of the former Giovanni Vildera. –