© photo by Doniselli/Ciamillo
After almost two weeks of work, the red and white roster is preparing to take the field in Castelfranco Veneto for the first friendly match of the season. Facing the men of coach Jamion Christian is Vanoli Cremona who has already broken the ice in the pre-season, and who will be a good test for the system that the red and white staff has carefully built around the team .
Coach Jamion Christian reviewed these first 10 days of training, talking about the short and long term goals to be achieved with his teammates and the team: “I am enthusiastic about our group. Their ability to want to share the ball, their ability to play basketball connected with each other and their ability to want to win as a team really impressed me in the first 10 practices.
I can’t wait to see where this group goes. The boys have a lot of experience in the Italian championship, a lot of playing experience. I think our hunger is something we need to continue to cultivate. We have a chance to have a truly special season if we stay focused on what’s most important and continue to improve.
We were very lucky, from the promotion, we had an amazing group of Italian players from last year. We really set a high standard for the way we operate here, in the arena and the way we work on the pitch. Our Italian players set a high standard for the way we talk to each other, for the way we play, and I think the most amazing thing is watching the new ones. came to love this level of empathy. They appreciate and have a lot of respect for what they have done in their career.
It’s a truly collaborative team, focusing on what allows us to be the best. Watching them work together now, it’s like they’ve known each other for a long time. We are really starting to close the initial gap to become a “Team” that understands what it takes to perform at our best.
In tomorrow’s game I want to see us communicate at the level we did in training. We have a communicative group. I would like to see that parquet feels the same. I want to see us play fast. This team is built for it, and has the ability to score in the first seven to ten seconds of the game. So I want to see us get the ball on one side of the court and get it quickly on offense, get into the paint, and look for easy baskets.
And then, defensively, I want to see our strength. I want to see our ability to rebound, our ability to defend three-pointers. These are the things that we will pay a lot of attention to. In addition to this we will begin to better identify the team: which combinations are best on the parquet, two, three and four person combinations. So as we get closer to the season, we can really start setting up some rotations.
I want to see our kids learn to play within our system. We have had players play on different systems in recent years. Our system is unique, it is unique for Trieste. The number of 3-pointers we want to take and how we make 3-pointers is something very important.
The way we rebound and the physicality that goes with it is amazing. So they have to learn how we play here in Trieste, the importance of what we do for our city, the importance of being part of a big organization. I want to see us continue to take steps to learn. I always tell our children that talent is the ability to make others better at what you do well. I think we have a group of guys that have the ability to do that. So I want to see them take their talent and use it within our system and allow us to be the best we can be.
This year it was great to have some familiarity with the coaching staff and the way we work. Nick Schlitzer returns to oversee our player development. He does a great job, helping our players to continue to improve, to understand every day what is best for them. Let’s take a look at the players who were here last year and their progress over time. I think he did an amazing job in that area. Francesco Nanni, who was in charge of our attack, is also back.
Last year’s offense in A2 was the fourth best in the league. His ability to teach this system and live with it for a year to quickly become competent will be truly groundbreaking. With the talented players we have, we want these guys to have a chance to play right away. To do that they really need to have a deep understanding of our system. I think Francesco is doing an amazing job of teaching guys that system and how to make the most of it.
We added Francesco Taccetti to the defense. He comes from Brescia who last year had the fourth best defense in the championship. Defense is always very important. We like two-dimensional players and guys who play on both sides of the court. He’s done a fantastic job of bringing some of that toughness, which his teams have always shown and he’s done a fantastic job of making sure our guys understand how we want them to play.
He acclimated very well. We know each other because I have things that I think are important and he has things that he thinks are valuable. I can’t wait to see this defense in a five-on-five match on the floor against a top-level opponent. As far as I’m concerned, I never lacked motivation. I am glad to have the opportunity to coach these players. We earned the right to be in Serie A, we earned the right to play some of the strongest teams in the world, and we earned the right to show that our system and the way we want to play can be one of the best in our championship. We need this income every day, and I’m excited to be a coach who can live it with these guys every day.