Orlandina Basket completed a three-day training camp at Ta’ Qali yesterday ahead of the crucial second phase of the Serie A1 season in Italy.
Coach Gennaro Di Carlo told The Sunday Times of Malta the programme was a success and that they were impressed with the facilities offered so much so that they could return for a full pre-season in future.
“This has been a very positive experience for us here,” Di Carlo said.
“The Malta Basketball Association lived up to their word and provided us with excellent training facilities. They also gave us an opportunity to have some of the best players in the Maltese league to practise with us.
“The team has worked really well over the last three days and we are now ready to resume with our season with renewed energy and determination.”
The Orlandina coach said Malta had all the characteristics to host winter camps and more elaborate pre-season training programmes.
“We’re seriously thinking of bringing back the team for pre-season to Malta. It would be nice to return and why perhaps even attract other Italian teams here to play warm-up matches.”
Sam Deguara slams in a basket under the watchful eyes of Orlandina coach Gennaro Di Carlo (left).Orlandina are currently fifth in the Serie A1 table.
During the training camp they had seven local players – Sam Deguara, Alec Felice Pace, Jacob Formosa, Peter Shoults, Shaun Pace, Keith Dimech and Luke Farrugia – all joining them for training.
“The Maltese players must have benefited a lot from this experience,” Di Carlo said.
“Sam Deguara is a player we knew before. Personally, I followed his progress when he played for Treviso and Reggio Emilia. He has improved a lot and I think that now he is ready to play for a good team in Europe.
“The others showed lots of potential and I think that an experience in the Italian league is not beyond them. They just need to be ambitious and ready to do sacrifices.”
Orlandina, who have already booked their place in the Top Eight of the Italian Cup, resume their league commitments with a tough trip to Italian champions EA7 Emporio Armani Milano on January 22.
Di Gennaro said that so far Orlandina have done pretty well and they are targeting a place in the play-offs.
“Orlandina is a relatively small club in the Italian league,” he said.
“Our priority this season is to make the play-offs. However, that is just the start. We are very ambitious and always looking to im-prove. That way we can aim for higher objectives.”