The leader summons the team that is down 0-2 with Napoli “Our competition was heroic, now we will need the energy of Carnera”
NAPLES- Garadue has been over for a couple of hours, Michele Antonutti has his face distorted by fatigue and tension, yet his head is already at a standstill. The dream, as the captain had defined the eventual victory in the final with Napoli, is further away now that the Neapolitans are on 2-0 in the series, but the Apu does not give up.
Antonutti, you played the game you wanted and everyone was asking for.
«I would say yes. Ours was a heroic race. It is true that we had low shooting percentages, but if you spend a lot of energy in defense it is normal to lose a little bit in attack ».
In the heat of the moment, is the pride for having frightened Naples or the regret for not being able to complete the work greater?
«Given that we always play to win, at this moment the regret for not being able to bring the series to 1-1 is still strong».
Given that the absent players are always right, playing a final without Amato and without Mussini is not a small handicap.
«I would prefer to concentrate on those who are there because I know the difficulties and problems that each of us has and that we are facing to give our best against a battleship like Napoli. Back in Udine we will put everything together and prepare for the next race. By now the two teams know each other, study each other and look for new countermeasures. The difference will be made by the smallest details. At PalaBarbuto the public made themselves heard, it was warm especially in the final, I hope that at Carnera we will receive the right energy from our fans to try to shorten the distance ».
President Pedone had words of comfort for the team and charged you for the next one.
«He is the main fan and I believe that any Friulian basketball fan must be proud of this team. In race one, we were overwhelmed at the beginning by the wave of Naples, this time we held up the impact, we were hooked to the game, we missed the last step. I repeat that in front of us we have a battleship that from the Italian Cup onwards has lost only one match just because it had left the Americans at rest ».
Tuesday was your fiftieth race of the season.
«There are many, I don’t remember such a long and demanding year, but at the moment we don’t have to think about this. Our travel companion must be the adrenaline, if you lower that then you feel everything that has happened to you. But no, we must still be on track and be ready ».