Cantù heart attack. When word got around that general manager Sandro Santo went to track down Dustin Hogue in Salt Lake City, the older and more loyal fans shivered. The new American of Acqua S. Bernardo is originally from Yonkers, New York, but is currently in Utah.
And Pace Mannion and Thurl Bailey have already arrived in Brianza from the parts of the Great Salt Lake, two who have contributed to writing the history of this glorious company. Strange twist of fate that most obviously hope will be corroborated by the same dose of fortune and results.
Provenance aside, Hogue arrives accompanied by a good deal of anticipation. In Italy, first in Trento and then in Rieti, he has already demonstrated his great qualities. Now it will be up to do it for a club that, despite the temporary delay in the standings, has the ambition of doing well, very well indeed, achieving an objective called promotion.
One hundred and ninety-eight centimeters for one hundred kilos of ideal weight, the player will not have the appearance of the old-style center, but he has the skills and numbers of the modern pivot. Who knows how to assert himself in defense, who is difficult to catch in attack when he finds position, who has points and rebounds from his hands and, apparently, only one flaw, in free throws.
Brienza, Cantù and Santoro – in strictly alphabetical order – needless to say have great expectations in the new arrival. Having left the States yesterday, he will disembark today in Milan Malpensa, before undergoing medical visits, obtaining the keys to the house and then making himself available to the coach starting tomorrow. In a sort of countdown that looks straight ahead to Sunday and the home match against Urania, the first of a tour de force which also has the recovery of the 11th, again in Desio, against Cremona in the middle.
The recent injury
For Hogue, last year’s experience at Sebastiani ended prematurely in the playoffs due to an injury: complete disconnection of the triceps brachii tendon in the left arm with related surgery. The first thing that S. Bernardo checked, obviously, was the athlete’s physical condition. He and his staff, in addition to reassuring everyone with words, wanted to do more: sending images and videos of the center in training. And, beyond his form, the way he moves his left arm is comforting.
Today the medical staff led by Doctor Federico Casamassima will still have the opportunity to check in person, giving the green light to membership. And even in this case, Santoro has already won, in the sense that he has completed a real race against time for visas and residence permits.
The confirmation of how the negotiations with Hogue had started a few days ago, and not necessarily connected to the collapse of Pesaro, is given by the fact that the player signed the contract in the night between Sunday and Monday, with the team having just returned from the Marche , for an agreement that had already been finalized over the weekend.
The technician’s approval
Brienza greatly appreciates the American’s presence on the pitch, experience and versatility: often passed off as a power forward, in these parts, he will mostly play as a centre. Alternating with those already in the squad.
