Excellent season so far which fully justifies the summer choices of Novipiù, which has focused on an average young group, with some hen of experience to protect its growth, and some bets won by the minors. The intensity and the defensive application for all 40 ‘certainly constitute a trademark of Casale, put into practice very well also due to deep rotations, which coach Andrea Valentini, who got on the train last season, draws heavily on. season. A few recent injuries (in the last round, in fact, outside the brothers Valentini and Okeke, all in doubt for the match against Trapani) has slowed down the streak and the climb of the JB which, once the complete roster has been recovered, will aim strongly for the very first positions in the standings, aiming for the playoffs from a privileged position. The singles. A quintet of 2000 is guard Alvise Sarto who, after the years in Treviso as a luxury specialist and the latest experience in Treviglio, is athletically and technically ready for a role as an added American. A lot of energy on the court and a reliable shot from outside (35% from three so far, on over 6 average attempts), a weapon that he mainly uses. He can be improved in one on one, where he is a bit shy, and from there the few trips to the bezel. Top scorer of the team at the moment, with 12.1 points (53% from two), 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists. Compared to the first leg, there is no longer Dalton Pepper but the American guard / winger, ex Agrigento, Pendarvis Williams (1991) who is a winger who can cover all the roles on the perimeter, and who ensures the right defensive approach (almost 2 recoveries of media) which requires coach Valentini. His numbers so far: 11.8 points, 2.6 fouls suffered, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per match. Interesting percentages from two (52%), in difficulty from 6.75 (20% from three, albeit with few conclusions, preferring to shoot from the medium range). System Player! Less “ball eater” than Pepper. Finally 94% in the line, where he doesn’t go often. Then we find the pivot winger, as well as historical captain, Niccolò Martinoni (1989), an atypical “four / five” who relies on the hands of a pure winger. He has improved exponentially over the years also in the role of area intimidator, with several blocks on the scoresheet, proving to be more “bad” than the past! He brings in 10.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 56% from two (historically good his percentages from the field). He struggles at the moment from the line, with just 58% (even on a few shots). He is using the three-point shot less than in the past, a useful weapon to “open” the field and hit the slowest long opponents (35% in the season, on a few attempts). He also “sees” the game well, with remarkable assistman skills (for the role). Great impact also for the 1999 play-guard Fabio Valentini who, over the years, has climbed the hierarchy and gained important positions. Less precise than the years spent on the outside, that he remains the house specialty, while he still stings little in one-on-one. His numbers: 8.9 points, 1.6 fouls suffered, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Unusual for him 27% from 6.75 (out of almost 6 attempts at a time), a weapon he mainly uses, while traffic is not his strong point (36% from two). A few too many losses so far (almost 2 per game). On the perimeter a big hand, and important minutes (over 20 ‘), also come from his brother Luca (Valentini) (1997) who grew up in the excellent Casale nursery but who has traveled a lot to “build himself”, with an excellent year at Imola in A2 two seasons ago. At the moment he travels with 4.3 points, 3.1 fouls suffered, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists. He badly from 6.75 (20% from three, while shooting very little) while 55% from two is certainly valuable. 65% from the line, where he often goes for his innate ability to take fouls. Rebounder added! Many recoveries for him. Power! He pulls little, but is useful in many aspects of the game that do not always go to the scoresheet. The atypical long of Nigerian origins, from 2003, Leonardo Okeke, is the absolute revelation of the beginning of the season. On loan from Tortona, after having played in the Borgomanero College and in B with Oleggio, and in fact in A2 to grow, he is proving to be a player not only with great prospects, but actually already decisive in the category. In fact, he has excellent numbers: 9.8 points (53% from two), 3 fouls suffered, a good 7.6 rebounds and more than one block to lace up shoes, which speaks in favor of his skills of jumping and intimidation in the colored area. A 2003 ready! He hurt however from the line of charity, with just 56%. Long USA 1996 Xavier Hill-mais is from a prestigious university (Oakland, senior year with 16.9 + 8.1) and has already gained experience in Russia in Superleague 1 (15.2 + 6.4, with 36% from three). Energy, physicality but, at the same time, polite hands that give it dimension even from a distance. So far 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 52% from two, 38% from 6.75, an important weapon to “open” the field. In recovery, after a disappointing start. Great impact instead for the 4/5 of 1994 Gianmarco Leggio who in B has always fully guaranteed the double figures, many rebounds, also demonstrating a range of 6.75, thus making him also a front player (last year in Ancona with 17 + 7 and 48 % from three). He has not minimally warned the superior category, and so far he writes the double figures on the scoresheet: 10.3 points, excellent percentages from the field (59% from two, 47% from three, weapon that uses more than the shot from below) over 3.5 rebounds average. Factor, difficult to mark for innermost cloths. An injury to slow down the 1982 guard Matteo Formenti who returned after playing many years in Casale Monferrato (from 2002 to 2009) and the last in Piacenza, in the middle also Tortona. In his career also a lot of Serie A for him, with Cremona, Brindisi and Sassari. A flexible player (he can fill the three “outside” roles) who brings experience, quality and shooting from home (which he mainly uses) while rarely attacking the iron. Great knowledge (and vision) of the game. His figures: 5 points, 2.7 fouls suffered, 3 rebounds, 3 assists. However, many turnovers (2.7 per match) and percentages in constant red (37% from two, 24% from three). The 2003 guard Alessandro Sirchia and the 2004 winger Aaron Lomele who rarely enter the rotations have not recorded so far.
