A mistake that can happen: In Treviso, they just laugh it off
Everyone makes mistakes, and often even double-checking doesn’t help. This time, it was a national sports daily that, in its basketball section—which on Sunday covered four games in the men’s top division—confused Trieste with Treviso, sparking some—albeit respectful—amusement in the social media groups related to the Venetian team. The Giuliani, who put on a very strong performance, lost in a nail-biter at home against Reyer Venezia, while Marcelo Nicola’s men, the day before, had gone on to win on the road against Trento and remain undefeated. The red-and-whites, led by Francesco Taccetti, have 0 points so far.
For the second time in as many games, Trieste played a top-tier match, once again falling short only in the final moments. Against Reyer Venezia, the reigning Italian champions, the red-and-whites paid the price especially from beyond the arc: just 8 made three-pointers out of 32 attempts—a brutal shooting percentage that ultimately made the difference in the decisive possessions.
Coach Taccetti himself did not hide his mix of disappointment and satisfaction: “Statistically, going 8-for-32 from three-point range hurt us. This is the second game we’ve lost down the stretch in the final possessions, but at the same time, it’s the second game in which we’ve shown that we can compete with anyone.” The Biancorossi coach sent a clear message, emphasizing that Trieste has faced last year’s two Super Cup finalists in its first two games: “We played against last year’s two finalists. Even tonight, I think it was a game that, had we won instead of Venice, wouldn’t have changed anything in terms of how we’re judged.”
Neven Spahija, the Reyer coach who is right at home in Trieste—greeted with great affection by the PalaTrieste crowd—was on the same page and didn’t hold back on praise for the opponents: “If Trieste had won, there would have been nothing to say; they would have deserved it just as much. I saw a Trieste team with a lot of heart and a great desire to fight.” The Orogranata coach also acknowledged his team’s limitations on this occasion: “We didn’t play our usual brand of basketball. We made too many mistakes on both defense and offense.” As for Trieste, Spahija expressed optimism about the Giuliani’s future: “There’s great potential for the rest of their season.”
Treviso, for its part, has already proven it can get results on the road, as evidenced by Saturday’s win in Trento. Nicola’s Nutribullet team began the season with a few roster headaches: Ed Croswell’s left shoulder injury—which is expected to keep him sidelined until at least February—forced the Venetian club to make a move in the transfer market, signing center Christopher Ike Anigbogu, formerly of Vanoli Cremona. In short, two teams, two different paths: Treviso is winning and impressing, while Trieste is impressing but hasn’t won yet. Confusing the two, as the newspaper in question did, is a mistake that their respective fans would be unlikely to forgive.
