Virtus Bologna are preparing for their league opener in Masnago just 48 hours after their EuroLeague game against Fenerbahce in Istanbul. As Eugenio Petrillo writes in Il Resto del Carlino, one of the first issues of the season for Alex Mumbrù’s team is precisely the management of energy and roster depth.
The game against Varese comes immediately after the European commitment and takes place on one of the hottest and most challenging courts in the LBA. Virtus therefore have to quickly switch from the pace of the EuroLeague to that of the domestic league.
On the other side is a significantly revamped Varese, with Ioannis Kastritis confirmed as head coach. The Lombardy club have built an ambitious team, also thanks to their participation in the Basketball Champions League. Their main signing is Amedeo Della Valle, whose availability remains in doubt due to a knee problem. William McDowell-White is definitely out, however, as he is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Varese have also added Hunter Hale, David Duke and Ismael Kamagate, while the Italian core of Davide Alviti and Matteo Librizzi provides continuity to the group.
For Virtus, as the newspaper points out, the game therefore presents several challenges, starting with roster rotation. With Kevin Kokila still unavailable, Mumbrù has to leave two foreign players out.
Compared with the choices made in the Super Cup, when Marcus Carr and Bobi Klintman were left out, the situation could change. Carr comes off a strong performance in Istanbul, where he is among Virtus’ leading scorers. His inclusion against Varese could therefore affect the decisions regarding Trent Frazier and Rasheed Bello, with one of the two likely to be rested.
Davide Casarin, who was left out of the Istanbul game, returns to the 12-man roster. Managing rotations and energy is therefore one of the first issues of the season for Virtus, who are immediately called upon to handle the dual commitment of the domestic league and the EuroLeague.
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