The Great Lesson of Alessandro Ramagli
“Right now, I’m only interested in who’s cheering for the home team, Rimini. Because they deserve this applause for the extraordinary season they’ve had and for reaching their second final in two years. I know exactly what it means to lose; I’ve lost so much in my life. It hurts, it hurts a lot. But I’m sure they’ll learn from it. That’s all I have to say.” A great lesson from Alessandro Ramagli: the seasoned coach from Livorno, who joined Verona mid-season, brought the Scaligera back to Serie A.
In the press room, after the celebration, Ramagli then wanted to broaden his perspective to the entire run of the final series: “The first thing I’ll say is that it was a tremendous honor to play against a team that, despite the injury to one of its players—which gave them a big boost—performed exceptionally well. In front of a great crowd. Even though Rimini didn’t walk away with the trophy, they’ll have to count this season as a tremendous one.”
The coach then offered a special thought to his players, the protagonists of a feat that required character and adaptability: “I want to thank my players, who allowed me, upon my arrival, to lend them a hand. They made themselves available, and that wasn’t a given. I know Verona is a place for connoisseurs, and it called for a major event. And that event came with our return to Serie A.” Federico Zampini’s baskets proved decisive at the crucial moment, sealing the deal in the final game of the series.
A victory built in part on the mental toughness displayed throughout the entire playoff series. Already after Game 2, with the Venetians leading 2-0, Ramagli had warned the team against euphoria: “You saw how tough it was, but I had no doubts. Games always offer a chance. You have to believe in it and find the mental fortitude to hold on during tough moments, take advantage of the good ones, ride the players who are in rhythm, and do things a little differently.” Prophetic words, given that Rimini had managed to reopen the series before the final showdown.
Now a new adventure in Serie A begins for Verona, and Ramagli has already made it clear he doesn’t want to stop: “I want to keep coaching because I enjoy it; I want to take on challenges, like this one in Verona. I don’t need to close any chapters—in fact, the more open they remain, the better.” Among the key players in Verona’s promotion is Federico Zampini, who has since been called up by Italbasket head coach Luca Banchi for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers, confirming that his performance this season has not gone unnoticed at the national level.
