The last Gema-branded Montecatini to win a derby before last Sunday’s still had Giampiero Cardelli in command. Alessandro Lulli was also there to rejoice at the PalaTerme on October 30th two years ago, but as the main sponsor. Winning a derby as president, moreover after a fast that lasted 756 days, however has a different flavour: now he is at the helm, the patron of the Gema who yesterday perhaps reached the highest point since, in the summer of 2023, kicked off the Pallacanestro Montecatini project, taking over the sports title of the old Montecatini Terme Basketball: “The first to call me to congratulate me after the match was Giampiero himself – he says – I would have liked to enjoy the match with him at PalaCarrara, but unfortunately for family reasons he couldn’t be there. It was obviously a great joy, but I can’t say it was a totally unexpected victory: it’s true, we were facing an opponent. very strong, however we know that we also have a team made up of really good players, we were all very confident in Chiarini rather than forced on the bench to watch his teammates (laughs) but this was the victory for the whole team. collective, they all deserve a special mention.”
A confidence that never wavered, not even in the face of the burning start of the Herons, who immediately posted a 12-2 partial: “I didn’t worry too much because our opponents were shooting with incredible percentages, while the our team were practically non-existent: the wheel had to start turning and so it was – explains Lulli – In the end the team was able to reverse the inertia of the match, I hope that our players continue on this team and that they manage to find the right ones. not only motivations on special occasions such as the derby, but rather in every match that awaits us between now and the end of the season.” Filippo Palazzoni
