The University of Bologna has got off to a flying start. Matteo Lolli’s team secured victory in their opening match of the EUSA European University Basketball Championships, being held in Salerno. It was no mean feat, as beating the Croatians (University of Zadar) is never easy. The final score was 90–71 (23–23; 49–43; 73–55), with the decisive break coming in the third quarter.
Alessandro Scarponi was pleased with the win. “Croatia have strong players. We played well because we have a tall squad, and that’s precisely why we managed to put them under pressure after the break, when fatigue might have started to set in. Beating a Croatian team is never easy. But we must look ahead. On to the next match, which will be another battle.”
Alessandro Grotti was also delighted. “It was important to start with the right attitude. We did that; we played as a team and supported one another. We must carry on in this way, improving our understanding of one another. It was an excellent start; now we’re focusing on tomorrow.”
Coach Matteo Lolli is the veteran of the group – an experienced and successful coach, the right man for the job. “We know we’re in a tough group and today’s match was a very important one to win. The lads approached the game in the best possible way. We knew it wouldn’t be easy. We tightened up in defence and got the win without too much trouble. But we also know we’re only just getting started. We need to recharge our batteries quickly and start thinking about the next match.”
The team sheet: Vittorio Zedda 3, Mattia Ferdeghini, Alessandro Grotti 3, Riccardo Galletti 3, Riccardo Ghedini 19, Giulio Martini 12, Alfonso Zampogna 8, Alessandro Scarponi 22, Francesco Buscaroli 4, Manuele Solaroli 6, Matteo Dias 8, Giacomo Bianchini 2.
Matteo Lolli, head coach; Giorgio Broglia, assistant coach; Gabriele Fin, team manager; Alex Ranuzzi and Daniele Gasparri, officials; Alessandro Tirozzi, referee.
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