Germani Brescia Leonessa point guard Luca Vitali played for four EuroLeague teams between 2002 and 2011, and now has become the on-court leader for Germani Brescia Leonessa as it aims to reach the 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16.
Luca Vitali, Brescia: 'It is great to be part of this club'
Interviews
7 Mins read
Germani Brescia Leonessa, playing in its second 7DAYS EuroCup season, has a 3-2 record in tough Group C after registering its first road win, 65-73 against Nanterre 92 in France in Round 5. The win was especially critical after Brescia's record-breaking 35-61 home loss in Round 5 against Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul. Far from being worried a week later, Brescia played great defense against Nanterre and relied on playmaker Luca Vitali to orchestrate the offense. Vitali dished a career-high 11 assists to just 12 for Nanterre as a team. Vitali, 33, is a veteran of European competitions, having played for four Italian teams in the EuroLeague between 2002 and 2011. Now in his fourth season with Brescia, Vitali is averaging 8.4 points, 5.2 assists through five games and sees the EuroCup as an opportunity to keep getting better. "When you have the opportunity to play against better teams and better players, you have a chance to improve," Vitali told EuroCupbasketball.com. "I will always want this throughout my career; learn from the best players and try to be better."
Hello, Luca. Congratulations on a big win in Nanterre. You had 11 assists and the team played solid defense. Was that the key to the victory?
"It felt great to win that game after consecutive losses in the Italian League and the EuroCup. We are working well and have good team chemistry, and it is normal to have some ups and downs at the beginning of the season. We are really happy about the way we are working and playing. We are happy with the results we had. Obviously, winning on the road against Nanterre is great for us because now we have three wins, and that is good."
It was also a character win, coming after the record loss against Darussafaka. How important was it to bounce back right away?
"It was important but honestly, we were not worried about this, because even if we look at the score and see we lost by 26 points, we still played unbelievable defense that day. The problem was that this is basketball and you need to score to win... and we never, ever, ever scored in that game! It was the kind of game that happens once in many years. Personally, it was the first time in my career that a team I was on scored 35 points. We were not worried because we played great defense and knew that working like this and putting the ball in the basket, we could bounce back quickly."
"We have taken a lot of big steps since I arrived in Brescia."
You have played against all of Group C now? What is your opinion of that group?
"Honestly, it is a tough group. UNICS Kazan and Darussafaka are the best teams, but we can fight for a chance to go to the Top 16 and make history for our club. The feeling is good because when you play against very good teams, you always have the opportunity to get better. You know that you play against great teams, great players and it is an opportunity to improve."
Now you visit UNICS in Kazan, a really strong team that you already beat at home. What can you take from that game to use it this time around?
"When UNICS came here, it was the beginning of the season for them, and they were a different team than the one we are going to face now. We know this and know that we need kind of a perfect game to win. Of course, we can use something that we used in the first game, knowing the players that they have. At the same time, we know that it is a long trip and the most important games for us will be the next two at home, against Joventut and Nanterre. We know that UNICS will be a different team, but we have nothing to lose."
After playing for many teams before, this is your fourth season in Brescia. What keeps you there?
"First of all, I am happy with the opportunities I had in my career, to be part of many teams. Honestly, I love Brescia. I decided to try to make the club better every year and help it improve. We have taken a lot of big steps since I arrived in Brescia. I love the people here, the players. It is something that you feel inside you. It is great to be part of this club and help it get better. This is the best feeling – to try to reach better goals every year."
What makes Brescia, the club, so special?
"The Brescians, of course, and also the experience of doing good things together. Last season we started the season with one win and five losses. In difficulty, we became a team, everyone doing things together, the players, the coaches, the people in the club. Since that moment, you had a better feeling with everybody. You know the positive and negative things of everybody and try to protect the work we do together. There is a lot of passionate people in this club. There are great human relations here, and they are very professional. I honestly love it here."
Your are posting better numbers in this, your second EuroCup season. How did last season's experience help you?
"I think that when you have the opportunity to play against better teams and better players, you have a chance to improve. I played in the EuroLeague when I was younger, and anytime you have a chance to play against better players, you improve. I will always want this throughout my career; learn from the best players and try to be better."
Italian teams are doing well in the EuroCup this season: Virtus is considered a favorite, while Reyer, Brescia and Trento have their Top 16 chances open. Is it a good sign Italian basketball?
"The Italian League is definitely improving: Scola and Rodriguez arrived to Milan, Djordjevic is a great coach and he is with Virtus Bologna, Treviso and Fortitudo are back in the first league... All the movements done lately have improved the competition. Like you said, all four EuroCup teams have a chance to play in the Top 16. This is a good moment and we are happy about this. In the late 1990s and the early 2000s, the Italian League was great and everybody wanted to play in our country. After 10 or 12 years, we are getting better again, bouncing back, and I am happy about it. I hope we can show our quality in Europe."
"We always work to make impossible things possible."
You are a tall playmaker at 2.01 meters. Was there are any other tall playmaker you learn a lot from?
"Yes, of course. When I was young, I was practicing in Virtus Bologna with Antoine Rigaudeau. Le Roi! The King! I learned a lot from just watching him, seeing what he did. And then I tried to learn from every player. Honestly, I love Magic Johnson, he was the biggest example for a tall point guard – how he passed the ball. I loved Theo Papaloukas, Dimitris Diamantidis and David Vanterpool, who was my teammate in Siena. He was not a tall point guard but David was a great playmaker and I learned a lot from him. But Magic was my favorite and he inspired me a lot."
How great would it be for Brescia, the club and the city, to make the Top 16?
"It would be historical, amazing for this club. Four years ago, the team was playing in the Italian second division and now we are working to get to the EuroCup Top 16. We will fight for it, of course. We always work to make impossible things possible. This is what we always tried to do, personally and as a team."