The first match of the second round is the most delicate for the Apu Old Wild West, forced to win to avoid sinking into a black crisis. The calendar is not friendly to the bianconeri, who at 8pm on Thursday 22 December will host Ferrara, one of the best-formed teams in the Red group.
INVOLUTION
The two teams have already faced each other twice this season, and on both occasions Udine won with a difference of fifteen points. It seems like a century ago, given that today the favorable inertia belongs entirely to the Este family, who in case of victory can even operate the hook in the standings.
Speaking of the standings: considering the delay from the three pacesetters, Thursday’s could be a direct match with a view to the second phase, so the two points up for grabs risk being worth four.
SILENCE
Mouths sewn to the Apu in view of today’s challenge. The company has chosen the path of press blackout, better to focus on a race that has suddenly become vital. Coach Boniciolli will be on the bench again, returning to the gym after the Covid parenthesis.
The technician from Trieste is convinced that he will be able to straighten the course, after all two years ago he already managed to come to the surface in a desperate situation: the victory achieved at the end in Treviglio interrupted a negative streak of six games.
TURNOVER
As in Lecce last Sunday, Mussini and Mian are the two main suspects for the grandstand. A question of performance but not only, they are also the two players with the best chances of leaving in January. Moraro’s wing is more likely to be excluded, still having problems with his ankle.
THE OPPONENTS
The preview of this match doesn’t differ much from the one against Nardò. Udine will face a healthy team, capable of abandoning the lower areas of the rankings with six victories in the last nine outings with important scalps such as those of Forlì, Cento, Bologna and Cividale.
The metamorphosis of the Emilians is summed up by the figures: 66 points scored in the first six days, 81.3 in the following nine. The old guru Spiro Leka was able to give an identity to a group built on a low budget (the main sponsor arrived a few days after the first leg), which has Andy Cleaves (18.5 points per game) as the main offensive end in point guard.
But keep an eye out for the former Torino player Luca Campani: from the match in Cividale onwards he is on fire with 19 points per game.