Domino effect between Pesaro, Brindisi and Avellino

Avellino is considering the profile of Blake Francis to address the emergency on the outfield due to injuries to Federico Mussini and Alessandro Grande. Having failed to identify convincing alternatives on the Italian scene, the Irpino club has turned its attention to the player coming out of Brindisi, where he traveled at an average of 12.7 points and 2 assists per game.

The situation could be unblocked thanks to the arrival in Puglia of Khalil Ahmad, formerly of Pesaro: once the procedures are completed, Francis would be free to move to Avellino by the April 23 deadline set for internal movements in Serie A2.

Francis, a 1998 U.S. point guard originally from Herndon, Virginia, is well acquainted with the pitfalls of the Italian cadet league. Arriving in Brindisi last summer after a brief experience with Vigevano in the final part of the previous season, the player had already had to deal with a serious injury to his right hand during the first preseason friendly against Ruvo di Puglia: a compound fracture of the third and fourth metacarpals that forced him to undergo surgery and a long absence. It was precisely that tegola that prompted Valtur to accelerate in the market, closing for Andrea Cinciarini as an emergency replacement.

Before Francis, after all, Brindisi had already made another change in its external department during the season: the Apulian club had inserted Tajion Jones in his place, then bet on Khalil Ahmad to raise the level further in view of the playoffs. Ahmad, who had traveled over 20 points on average last season with Pesaro, was back from a stint in Israel with Rishon LeZion that ended with the consensual termination of his contract. His arrival coincided with the separation from Zach Copeland, destined for Sella Cento.