Cantù: Semaj Christon Responds to Criticism
After a truly difficult season for the American players—with Jacob Gilyard first and then Chris Chiozza failing to live up to expectations—Acqua S.Bernardo Cantù has decided to rely on the experience of Semaj Christon. The Brianza-based team’s preseason was disappointing, with six losses in as many games, and criticism was also directed at the Cincinnati native born in 1992. He proudly responded on his social media, referencing his brilliant career: “The facts speak for themselves, so there’s not much to say,” he noted.
Christon is certainly no stranger to Italian basketball. Now on his seventh stint in Italy, the Cincinnati point guard has played for Pesaro, Tortona, Brescia, Pistoia, Vanoli Cremona, and Udine throughout his career, with several stints abroad in China, Puerto Rico, Israel, France, Spain, Turkey, and Germany in between. His list of achievements includes an ACB League title won with Saski Baskonia in the 2019–2020 season, a testament to a talent that has made its mark even in Europe’s most competitive leagues.
The decision to sign him was no accident. General Manager Simone Giofrè, when the signing was made official last June, explained the reasons for the signing in clear terms: “Semaj is a player whose pedigree speaks for itself. In addition to the technical skills everyone is familiar with, we were impressed by his great enthusiasm regarding our interest and his desire to play for Cantù. We are confident he will make a significant contribution to the new team.” The club’s confidence was also reflected in Christon’s appointment as co-captain, alongside captain Riccardo Moraschini: an unmistakable sign of the leadership role the club had assigned him both on and off the court.
However, his preparations for the season had already been complicated by an injury. In late August, during a scrimmage in Tortona, Christon suffered a broken nose, which forced him to undergo surgery to set the fracture at the Humanitas Hospital in Rozzano. After returning to the team wearing a protective mask, he nevertheless took part in the subsequent preseason games, demonstrating his dedication to the cause.
