By now it’s a duel for the bench in Trent: there's overtaking
To take over Massimo Cancellieri’s legacy on the Trento bench, the name of Alessandro Rossi is gaining ground. The coach, who will soon be 43 years old, comes from his experience in Treviso, which ended with his exoneration in December when he was replaced by Marcelo Nicola, after having coached Real Sebastiani Rieti in the previous season.
A coach accustomed to working with young people, Rossi also led the National Under-20 team to a gold medal at last summer’s European Championships. A historic triumph, the one achieved in Crete last July 20, with the Azzurrini beating Lithuania 83-66 in the final: Italy thus returned to win European gold in its category after the one in 2013. Decisive in the final Francesco Ferrari, named MVP of the entire tournament with 26 points to his credit, supported by Elisee Assui (17 points and 9 rebounds) and David Torresani (13 points). “A great joy for these guys,” Rossi himself had commented in the heat. “I wish the cover is all for them. I am also happy for the Federation, which has started a project of a certain kind, and I think this is a good response for the whole movement and the clubs that train these boys all year round. It is everyone’s victory.”
The separation between Trent and Cancellieri had been in the air for a few weeks. Revealing the backstory was Dolomiti Energia CEO Andrea Nardelli: “In February Massimo informed us of his decision to leave the club at the end of the season. This absolutely never affected his daily commitment, as evidenced by the path he took, coming just one shot away from an extraordinary EuroCup semifinal.” The coach, now close to signing with a Turkish club, wanted to salute the club with affectionate words, “Aquila Basket and the city of Trento will always have a special place in my heart. Whatever path life holds for me in the future, I will always remember that it was Trento that first trusted me, entrusting me with the role of head coach in the EuroCup.”
The profiles being considered also include Luca Vitali, Petteri Koponen and Riccardo Fois. However, among these, only the man of 149 appearances in the national team, who retired in 2024 and is currently on the technical staff of Vanoli Basket Cremona, seems to be able to represent a concrete alternative, while Rossi increasingly appears to be the leading candidate.
Vitali, born in 1986 in San Giorgio di Piano in the Bolognese plains and sportingly raised in the environment of Virtus Bologna, is a figure of great charisma in the Italian basketball scene. A playmaker with a great physical frame (201 cm), he made his debut on the first team with the Black V in the 2002-2003 season, sharing his youthful experience with peer Marco Belinelli. He is currently on the staff of Vanoli Cremona coach Pierluigi Brotto, and a possible call from Trento would represent his absolute debut as head coach. Koponen, a 1988-born Finnish guard with a high-profile European resume, including a Eurocup win with Khimki Moscow in 2015 and more than 150 appearances in the Euroleague, does not seem to be the hottest track right now, however. Fois, for his part, boasts experience on the staff of the senior national team, having joined Gianmarco Pozzecco as an assistant in the 2023 World Cup qualifying cycle.
