Bologna –
Ending the LBA 24/25 Regular Season in first place, Virtus Segafredo Bologna General Manager Paolo Ronci was the guest of Sport Club on E-Tv.
Meanwhile, congratulations on Virtus’ first place finish in the regular. You kept the bar straight and threw your heart over the hurdle yesterday. “The regular season after 30 games rewards eight months’ work, so we are happy to have finished this first part of the season in first place. As a matter of fact, we had some continuity in the league and closing it with a beautiful game like yesterday’s, in a sold-out crowd and a strong opponent like Trapani, was the temporary goal that gives credit to everyone’s work. The one started by Banchi and continued by Ivanovic, and that of players who have struggled all these months. Add to this the Euroleague commitments that take away a lot of energy, and we see this not only in Italy but also in the other European leagues.”
Various market names come out, even one who played in Belgium and Turkey. “That he is coming is true, that he is a former Belgium and Turkey is not. We have the need to add a player to the roster, especially in the smalls department with the Pajola problem there is a shortened rotation. If there is a way to add a small one we will do it, it is clear that now the team has its own balance and identity. We made drastic choices, released Visconti, Graziulis, Tucker and Holiday. Our team leaders have taken it upon themselves to bring the team to the level and identity it has today. There are balances that the coach does not want to upset; it is also true that if we can add the ‘insurance player,’ as they used to say before the playoffs, we will. Yesterday there were physical and foul problems, and in cases like these an extra someone would be needed, always respecting the current hierarchies and divisions of responsibility that now in the group are well defined. Group that has worked seriously from the beginning, and it is important that it is there because between injuries and controversies to be here talking about a lone first place and because there is a basis of great seriousness on the part of all. The boys have had difficulties but never failed to be serious about their work.”
Was thinning the roster and confirming Ivanovic a reason for compacting? “I think so. The players have great character, personality and competitive spirit. When you do the Euroleague, you need a long roster, but it is also true that the players want to play, so at the end of the Euroleague, we wanted to recalibrate responsibilities among our historical leaders. There are players who can and should take responsibility for the fate of the season in these months, and the recent past has shown that they were able to do so by approaching the mentality of Coach Ivanovic.”
Randolph’s name that came out in the Republic? “That is not the player. Surely Walter Fuochi knows basketball, he is a good one but I don’t think it will be him.”
Shengelia’s situation? “I would like to refrain from giving answers that arise from situations that perplex me. I would like to use this time to talk about positive things and leave the rest alone. I’m just saying that we see each other every day, with Shengelia, his agent came here during the season, and to imagine that there is no dialogue between us is really difficult. He’s an important player, he knows the history of Virtus and he knows how much we have done together, it’s normal that he has attentions from big clubs, but so are we and to think that between us and them there was no talk… What the agent said is unequivocal.”
Clyburn was much criticized, now he has become a key player. “I enjoy every day watching him in training, he has great class. It occurs to me that when I see very fast judgments, courts set up in a quick and cut-throat way, I remain of a different philosophy: people have to have the calm to be able to express their potential, let’s not forget that they are people and not just players who are being judged, and you need time to show what you can do. And this applies to any profession: we accept the judgments, but what Will is doing now is what was expected of him. Let’s not forget that he had a long injury, like Shengelia, and that slowed down our path to finding balance. I, in October, would not set out to make blanket judgments on anyone’s work, whatever the field, without ever having seen them or been around them, or having studied their history.”
Euroleague costs so much. Have you made counter offers? “We have dialogued often. They don’t like to talk about offers and counter offers, that’s not the philosophy of the Euroleague. What is important to say is that Virtus is considered an important reality, the dialogues have always been open, in these three years we have shown that we can do good things and not only on the court-where this year things didn’t go so well but last year saw us finish in the top ten-because there are results such as the arena’s fill rate, and how the public responded present even when we had no more chances in the standings. Let’s think about how we were 5-6 years ago, today Virtus has shown a face in the Euroleague that combines the court with other important results. Being there and participating is something that gives the dimension of the current structure of the club and how much is built around the game event.”
Pajola’s condition? “Ankle sprain, we will see when he returns to training on Tuesday. The doctors will assess the condition and from there we will see the schedule for the next few days. But to not return in a game like that, knowing Pajola’s character, it means that the conditions just weren’t there. Yesterday we still won, showing how united this group of guys is: with an absence of this weight everyone took a step forward, it means that Virtus is something united and that we care about doing very well.”
Yesterday you brought home a victory under difficult conditions. “It’s the group that makes the difference. We think of Akele, who for so long had no space but always maintained his enthusiasm, and now he can go out on the court and do important things.”
The philosophy of the next Virtus? “Meanwhile, we will have to be faithful to what the budget will be, playing in the Euroleague where there are very rich clubs: we will have to be realistic for what our possibilities are and the value of who we will face. Within this economic perimeter, which must be respected, we will need a team that resembles the coach: when Dusko was able to carry out his ideas, especially the defensive identity, things changed. As much as possible the next team will need this, as well as unavoidable athletic qualities because of the many commitments. But the more the team will be in the coach’s likeness, the more it will be a team that will want to get off to a better start than past seasons, when it has not always been possible to hand coaches rosters in their likeness. In some cases the choices, previously, were made only at the end of July.”
Can Trapani make it to the finals? “They play well but there is not only Trapani in the playoffs. There are many teams playing well, the enthusiasm of Trieste and the solidity of Brescia, the fun game of Trento and Milan I don’t have to introduce. Reggio has made its way to Europe, and Venice as eighth is not much of a client: in the last few weeks they have worked knowing already where they were going to get and is a historic rival. All of them can lead the way.”
