Adriano Zin, former captain of Liberti and Benetton, frames the moment: “The key was the victory of Trento”
treviso
Zin. A name that sounds like the hiss of a sword. A cutting name. And Adriano Zin really cut his opponents into slices. Formidable defender was the captain of Liberti and then of Benetton in the two Paduan years, a true warrior, the symbol of that “team” raised by Mario De Sisti, a group of workers capable of extraordinary feats. Today Zin is 71 years old and is coordinator of the youth sector, as well as scoutist, of Treviso Basket, but he is above all a mine of memories and anecdotes. Obviously it also follows the events of a De ‘Longhi, increasingly launched towards the playoffs.
«Treviso is really a surprise, it is ahead of many other more successful teams, such as Varese and Fortitudo. Instead TvB started with a lot of humility and seriousness, and above all it knew how to make a group, everyone encourages the teammate, there is a good atmosphere in short: we saw it against Fortitudo, without Logan and with Vildera’s big party. There is chemistry, that spirit that I felt when I was playing. Then the company made careful market choices without taking big names but that fit together well. And if you make a mistake, the player gets it right: Sokolowski is always there when needed Lockett, first hit by Covid, had been stopped for a year and it clearly takes time to dispose of it ».
Sunday “playoff” with Trieste for sixth place: the playoffs for Treviso would be like a small championship.
«I believe it, also because with the other direct clashes some teams will take away points. De ‘Longhi can really aim to get into the top eight. Before I spoke of humility, which at times might seem resignation, but Treviso is aware of its strength. And I think the key was Trento’s victory: we played 7-8 and Piccin did well too. I remember Logan who, after hitting the decisive shot, returned to the bench and laughed: it was the first time I saw him like this. There I realized that the team was there ».
A couple of key differences from 40 years ago?
“Eh, today we play much faster and in a more physical way, but in my time there was more technique, we paid more attention to the details and the fundamentals: you were more bent on your legs, so in defense you had more reactivity, today the counterattack is more sought. The Liberti had the strength in defense, when the opponent was preparing to shoot we were on him. In B, Petrarch, a squadron, stopped at 50 points against us. And we 70. .. ».
Everyone remembers the match on TV between her and Haywood in Padua.
“Benetton beat Reyer, Spencer was a great champion, he won the Olympics in ’68 (he’s in the NBA Hall of Fame, ed), I am a nobody, yet he made 32 and I 24. He started immediately making 8, then I defended more aggressively and I made him lose a few balls. My satisfaction was above all to have won ».
She went to training in Lambretta.
“I worked in the bank and finished at 5 pm: the only way to get to the Fogher on time, from where we went by bus to Padua, was to place the Lambretta under a portico in Piazza dei Signori, as soon as the work was finished, I would get on the saddle and go al Fogher. It would have taken longer by car. I remember the dinners Ai Do Mori, unforgettable years ». –