Trento, Lele Molin: “Messina remains a master.”

Lele Molin speaking.

The coach of Dolomiti Energia Trentino presented the challenge with Olimpia Milano, scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m., making some statements to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The coach of the bianconeri began by spending honeyed words for Ettore Messina: “Ours is an intense relationship based above all on the friendship we established as boys when we coached the youth of Basket Mestre sharing many thoughts on and off the court. Then we found each other at Virtus in 2000, him head and me deputy. A union that went on also in Treviso, Moscow and Madrid. And that ended when Ettore, in February 2011, resigned from Real. Time and careers confronted us when he arrived in Milan. For me he remains a master who taught me so much.”

So he did not look for alibis, despite Matteo Spagnolo’s absence: “Injuries are there for everyone. Milan’s were heavy in the Euroleague, the nine losses in a row can be explained that way. But when it returns to full strength, Olimpia will remember this negative moment and draw great strength from it to recover. His season is by no means over. For us it is a maturity exam, a challenge to give our best to grow. And at the end, whatever the result, I will invite Ettore to dinner to eat dumplings. They make them delicious here in Trent.”

“Unfortunately, only in two games have I had the full team due to injuries. The foreigners are mature and functional for the development of a new project after the many summer changes. So far we have met expectations but we keep a safety valve for a fifth foreigner if it is necessary to strengthen the staff. The goal. First and foremost to save ourselves well and early. But only at the end of January we will have a clearer idea if we can compete for the Italian and Eurocup playoffs,” Molin concluded, emphasizing the primary goal of the Trentino club.