Dino Repesa identifies Reyer Venezia’s number one threat
Ahead of the home game against Reyer Venezia, Dino Repesa, assistant coach of Napoli Basketball, was the guest on the 32nd episode of “Speak&Roll”—the fifth of the new season—broadcast by Radio Capri every Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. During the show—created by Stefano Prestisimone, a longtime columnist for “Il Mattino,” and Davide Uccella—the coach addressed various topics, answering questions from the hosts and comments from fans submitted via WhatsApp and the social media channels of the program and its partner, “MemeNapoli.” The episode aired on Radio Capri (FM 100.00 MHz), on channel 93 of digital terrestrial television in Campania, and on the station’s digital platforms.
“We train with the assumption that all our opponents will be available. Obviously, Wiltjer’s absence is a blow because he’s a very agile and very intelligent power forward/center. On the other hand, there’s Tessitori, who is an atypical big man. We need to figure out how to stop Glynn Watson, who uses his shooting as a weapon. But I’m not underestimating the bench either—De Nicolao scored 14 points against Tenerife, for example, and Maretto didn’t disappoint in the EuroCup as a replacement for Parks; finally, there’s Bowman, a more physical guard who prefers driving to passing.”
“Our goals are clear: to make the playoffs in both February and May. I don’t want to get too carried away with our ambitions, but just to be on the safe side—you never know; we’ll keep our feet on the ground, especially since the unexpected is always just around the corner.”
The mention of Kyle Wiltjer refers to the Canadian big man’s condition; he left the game with a sprained left ankle during the EuroCup match against Maxima Roma, which Reyer lost 90-79 in the capital. Wiltjer had been one of Reyer’s key offensive players at the start of the season: his 32 points and a rating of 36 against BC Roma earned him the MVP award for the fourth round of the league. For coach Neven Spahija’s team—which reached the Scudetto final last season—the uncertainty surrounding his availability is a major concern.
Reyer arrives in Naples, where they will play as visitors tomorrow, coming off last Sunday’s loss at the Taliercio against Nutribullet Treviso. Treviso coach Marcelo Nicola attributed the victory to his team’s ability to withstand Venice’s physical play, accepting it and countering it—especially in the closing minutes—after overcoming a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The two teams were tied in the standings behind league-leading Virtus Bologna. After that match, the Venetian squad flew to Tenerife for the EuroCup before returning to league play.
On the Neapolitan front, Coach Jasmin Repesa’s team has enjoyed a strong start to the season: in mid-October, they had secured their third consecutive victory, winning 99-80 on the road against Cantù and maintaining their perfect record at the top of the standings, with Ramsey making his debut. However, there is no shortage of roster issues. Andrej Jakimovski suffered a complete tear of the internal oblique muscle on his right side, with detachment at the insertion point on the eleventh rib, and is expected to be sidelined for two to three months. The Macedonian player’s absence could prompt the club to return to the transfer market to secure more options for the rotation.
Looking at the schedule, Napoli Basketball is set for a busy December: on Saturday, December 12, they’ll visit BC Roma; on December 19, they’ll host Varese; and on December 27, they’ll visit Old Wild West Udine, before hosting Virtus Bologna on Sunday, January 3, with the game broadcast live on Sky Sport Basket and Cielo. Reyer, for its part, will play in Scafati on Matchday 11 and will host Olimpia Milano on December 20.
