Trieste: Another Confirmation for the New Season—The Fifth Contract Extension Is Here

Another contract extension for Pallacanestro Trieste. Following Markel Brown, Candussi, Ruzzier, and Deangeli, the Giuliani have also extended Colbey Ross’s contract, meaning he will now enter his third consecutive season with the club. The news was first reported on X by the player’s agency: the announcement was posted on Tuesday on the RBA Showcase account. Born in 1998, Ross is coming off a season in which he played 22 league games, averaging 11.6 points per game. He is currently the team’s third foreign player (along with Brown and Sean McDermott), and the team is still on the hunt for two big men.

The bond with Ross has grown stronger over time. The American point guard had already re-signed with Trieste in April 2025, as part of a multi-year deal signed while he was still playing his first season in red and white—the season that saw him named MVP of the 2022–2023 league. At that time, Ross had expressed his deep attachment to the city: “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to stay with Pallacanestro Trieste. This season has been extraordinary; I’ve fallen in love with the city and the fans.”

On the coaching front, continuity is also guaranteed on the bench: Francesco Taccetti has been confirmed as head coach for next season. The coach, who led Trieste to the playoffs—where the red-and-whites eliminated Brescia in Game 5 at the PalaRubini—has already set the team’s training camp to begin on August 17. “I’m thrilled to be reunited with these outstanding players: our captain Lodo, Ruz, Candu, and co-captain Markel,” Taccetti said upon signing his contract extension, also citing McDermott’s re-signing as another key element of the roster’s strength.

The team taking shape will need to be ready right from the first day of the season, scheduled for September 27: Trieste’s debut in the 2026–2027 Serie A season will see them visit Olimpia Milano at the Unipol Forum—an immediate, top-tier test for the red-and-whites. Also marked in red on the regular-season schedule is the city derby against APU Old Wild West Udine, with the two regional derbies set for December 6, 2026, and January 31, 2027.