Peppe Poeta praises Nico Mannion but isn’t getting his hopes up after Game 1

Coach Peppe Poeta welcomed the victory in Game 1 of the championship final, but immediately urged Olimpia not to let their guard down: “I’m obviously very happy. We played the game we wanted to, with energy and aggression, but we have to stay on high alert. It’s only Game 1; they have a lot of talent. We need to take what we did well and do it again in Game 2, expecting a very fired-up Venice.”

Reflecting on the contribution of the rotations, Poeta rejected the idea of a clear distinction between the first and second units: “That’s how it went today, but other times it’s been the starting five. I don’t like to define them that way, though, since there are players like Bolmaro, Guduric, and Ricci who end up closing out the games. Today everyone played well and did their part. The starting five didn’t let any of them get going.”

Among the stars of the night was Diop, about whom Poeta spoke enthusiastically: “He’s devastating. We hope he can keep up this level of play. He’s the kind of player every coach would want. The energy he brings to the court is amazing, even if he obviously won’t always post a 28-point rating. His style of play helps the whole team.”

Finally, the coach highlighted the growth of Nico Mannion, who delivered a very convincing performance: “He was very good today. An extremely intelligent game; he’s also improving on defense. He’s using the space well and taking it with leadership and charisma. He’s earning minutes and his teammates’ trust by working hard on defense, and his offensive skills are unquestionable.”