Bologna, 25 February –
These are the words of Beatrice Barberis to the microphones of Made in Bo, during the Basket 88 broadcast:
“Playing the last game at Paladozza, in the Euroleague, was exciting. Even among ourselves we often agreed that the public was our biggest weapon and this really gave us a lot of charge, in a way that was almost unexpected for us, because they always overwhelmed us with their passion and their warmth. We owe so much to them.
I don’t deny that there is some regret for some situations, but if you get stuck on episodes you struggle to move forward. It certainly could have gone better, but we put this fantastic experience in our baggage as players. Our wish is that, having taken Virtus women’s team to Europe is an important goal but also a starting point for the entire Italian basketball movement in the future.
The national team? The 3×3 is very different, pure dynamism, with very short matches of 10 in which the game never stops. It’s a very intuitive, physical and intense game, but at the same time it’s extremely fun: you never have time to manage and rest, but you’re always on the edge of your seat. The thing that amazed and surprised me the most is that you can travel and meet so many different people and so many different players, with so many different cultures, and this is incredible. In addition, playing with music gives you an extra charge that I somewhat regret in traditional 5vs5.
Our next engagement on Sunday sees us involved in a derby. At the moment we are in a good shape even if injuries have heavily influenced us during the season: now, however, we are full and this allows us to express ourselves at our best. During a derby there are no rankings, there are no names on the court, but the motivations of those who play count: I only hope that there will be a lot of spectators because Bologna is a square that deserves the best stages and Faenza is also a very warm reality that follows its team with great enthusiasm. We want to give them the best possible show with lots of emotions for everyone.
Virtus? For me, being part of Virtus Segafredo is an honour and a source of pride. When I arrived here I didn’t imagine we’d make it this far but we’ve never set ourselves any limits. In three years we have played the Euroleague and to be part of this journey has been incredible: we aim to win the first trophy and why not, all the ones still available starting with the next Coppa Italia.”
