Pellicani Basketball, the Playoffs Are Almost Here

An open streak of 14 consecutive wins and a qualification for advancement in the playoffs almost in the bag. This is the satisfying record for the University men's basketball team participating in the D League FIP championship, with the crystal clear objective of moving up, as coach Carlo Favero confesses without hesitation. "This team showed great potential right from the start, even when scores weren't as rewarding," explains Favero, Head of the Department of Finance and the team's coach since 2008. Previously, when he had the double role of player and coach, "I knew that it was only a matter of time."

It is the normal order of things that a university team needs to be patiently broken in and assembled before the mechanism starts working in perfect harmony. "This team's main strength, other than the value of the individuals and the group from a technical and physical point of view, is its strong heterogeneity: we have students from University, Master and PhD programs, with different maturity levels and experience," continues Favero. "In addition, from a practical point of view, it allows us to avoid simultaneous absences by several players due to exams, as has happened in other seasons, because luckily the calendars for degree programs, Masters and PhDs all have different deadlines." And since winning begets winning, as athletes know, players are so excited about the score that no one wants to miss a practice or a game, promising a heated end to the season: "The objective is to qualify for the playoffs in second place, so that we have a home court advantage," says the coach. "First place in the group round, which directly passes to the C2 League, is almost impossible since the top ranking team Rondinella di Sesto San Giovanni is practically out of reach." The top team lost its second game out of 23 on Friday 27 March against the Pellicani. "On their court, in front of 400 fans, it was very satisfying." If they make it to C2, their commitment and level will intensify, but the team is equipped to move up: "The core foundation will stay the same in the higher league, if they're good enough to make it," says the coach, "perhaps with the hope that some new students will be able to give us a hand."