Sometimes they come back—a great win for a Tortona team that’s been struggling badly

Christian Vital is set to return to Bertram Derthona. The American guard, naturalized Armenian, born in 1997, is expected in Italy to begin a new chapter with the Piedmontese team, having already worn the black-and-white jersey for the past two seasons. He’s a quality addition for the team coached by Mario Fioretti, which needs to turn things around after a decidedly difficult start to the season.

After arriving in Tortona in the summer of 2024, Vital quickly established himself as one of the Piedmontese team’s leading scorers. In the 2025–26 season, he averaged over 17 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in Serie A, finishing second in the league’s scoring standings.

Over the summer, after two successful seasons in Italy and despite interest from several European clubs (he had also played for Legia Warsaw in Europe), Vital chose to move to Asia, reaching an agreement with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, a team in the Chinese league.

However, his Asian stint ended after just seven games, during which the American guard averaged 11.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.

Tortona’s record after the first six games stands at one win and five losses, with the most recent defeat coming on the road against Udine. Vital’s return therefore sends an important signal from the club, which is determined to reignite its ambitions and climb the standings.