Fortitudo - UEB Cividale

Italy, Serie A2, Round 21

28/01/2024 - 18:00 CET

The Lega Due basketball league is in the spotlight with a key matchup between Fortitudo Bologna and Cividale, scheduled for Sunday at 6 PM at the Paladozza. The Bologna team is eager to win in front of their home crowd, especially after a defeat in Cento. The headline news is that Pietro Aradori will be playing; he has resumed training this week and is more than ready to hit the court. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing him. I've known him since he was 18, and he has just turned 35. He's enthusiastic about the new direction of his team and his rapport with coach Attilio Caja. He's looking forward to contributing again, particularly in this highly competitive championship. Interestingly, two of Fortitudo's four defeats occurred in Aradori's absence, suggesting a significant difference in the team's dynamics 'with and without him'. For the record, he is averaging 17.6 points in 33.6 minutes per game. Last game, Bolpin wasn't at his best due to a knee injury, but now he is ready to deliver his usual high-level performances. Cividale, coached by Fortitudo's former coach Stefano Pillastrini, known for assembling young and assertive teams, is coming off three consecutive victories. Two of these wins were against the big teams of the group, Forlì and Trieste, while another was secured on the challenging Rimini court. It's noteworthy that over 250 fans from Cividale will be traveling to Bologna. Although this number is small compared to the 6000 Fortitudo fans, they will try to make their presence felt. A distinctive feature of the white and blue team's games is their low scoring, as they allow an average of 70.6 points to their opponents, while not scoring much themselves. The presence of Aradori and a top-performing Bolpin will undoubtedly add extra points compared to their last outing. However, it's worth noting that 'Pilla' is a defensive wizard, having held Trieste to just 66 points, a team known for its firepower. Cividale has its own quality player like Lucio Redivo, but one should also watch out for Miani, Dell’Agnello, and the experienced Doron Lamb, who always knows how to make an impact.