By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After being eliminated from Play-Ins or Playoff contention in the EuroLeague, Milan has set its sights on another victory in the Italian league, climbing up the standings in the LBA.
Their most recent 118-83 crushing victory against Cremona on Friday (18/4) proves it. But that wasn’t the only good news from the evening, as Ettore Messina gave minutes to 2007-born talents Diego Garavaglia and Luigi Suigo.
In the post-game press conference, the experienced head coach reflected on European basketball’s loss of talent. Most recently, Milano‘s Achille Lonati committed to St. Bonaventure in the NCAA.
“On a personal level, I’m really happy for these guys who are about to have an incredible experience, both in life and in basketball. Achille Lonati has chosen a college that fits him perfectly, a level that will allow him to play and express himself. Not too high, not too low: it’s a competitive and traditional school.”
“I believe all European clubs are caught off guard right now. Because there’s no regulation or way to protect ourselves. We’re an open hunting ground, and these kids have the right to chase a dream, whether it’s a sports dream or for financial stability,” he commented.
“They have every right to take on this experience, and I’m happy for them. The only thing we can hope for is that, if they ever come back, we’ll be able to bring them back into the fold. That’s all. Right now, I don’t think the situation is clear to anyone. We were unprepared. But it’s not just us,” Messina added.
“The general trend is that we’re losing players at all levels. Almost no one comes from the NBA or the G-League, and we’re losing youth players to college basketball. The EuroLeague is becoming a more and more mature league, if not outright old, in the sense that the players are aging and all very experienced.”
“They play beautiful games, the level is extremely high, but five years from now, we have reason to be concerned,” Milano‘s head coach warned the whole competition.
PHOTO CREDIT: Olimpia Milano