The beautiful tale of Achille Lonati, champion of Italy with the under 15s

Student of Copernicus, he is from Gropello. After the title with Milan, the call of the national team

history

A young and talented Gropello Cairoli basketball player won the Under 15 national basketball championship wearing the Olimpia Milano jersey. This is Achille Lonati, play guard, 1.92, brother of Davide who plays in Serie C gold with the Expo Inox Mortara. Achille won the Italian title in the national finals held in Pordenone in a tournament with sixteen teams initially divided into groups of four.

The team of the baby player from Gropello began its journey in the grouping in Trieste in which Olimpia Milano met Trieste, Salerno and also Trento, the latter served 83-64. After passing the group, Milan eliminated Reyer Venezia in the quarter-finals, then dominated Latina in the semifinal with a gap of 53 points. In the final, Olimpia found Trento and won 67-58, thus winning the Under 15 championship: Achille Lonati stood out as the best scorer of the match with 21 points in an exciting challenge, point by point up to the siren . For the team of coach Halabi it is the culmination of a perfect season with 30 victories in as many, but above all for everyone it was a great celebration that of Trieste and Pordenone because it was the first youth basketball final played after the suspension. two years for the pandemic. Lonati was also nominated in the best quintet of the tournament together with his teammate Diego Garavaglia, Perez di Latina, Placinschi di Trento and Baiocchi of Virtus Bologna.

Achille started playing at the age of five in Mini Basket Lomellina together with his older brother Davide (born in 2002), his first coach was “Ciccio” Sellitto. The prestigious move to Olimpia Milano matured when Lonati faced the Beginners category. Since then, in addition to being a student of the Copernicus scientific high school in Pavia (he attends the second year), Achille has been training with Olimpia Milano in Assago five days a week plus the game.

And if that weren’t enough, at the recent Regional Athletics Student Games he finished second in the top with the same measure as the first classified (student category, up to the class of 2005), reaching the measure of 1.83 without specific technical training.

the call in blue

«I am happy to have contributed to the success of my team. We are a very united group and this is also our strength “, comments this excellent moment Achille Lonati who adds:” Being the best in Italy is a beautiful bike and is the result of sacrifices and daily work followed by a staff of guided professionals by coach Halabi ». For the 15-year-old from Gropellese the satisfactions do not end here, because, fresh from being called up in blue, from 11 to 13 July he will be in Spain in Melilla with the Under 15 national team for a tournament with Spain, Greece and France. –

Fabio Babetto