By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the tension rising high in Italy between Milan and Virtus Bologna since the finals of 2022, Luca Banchi entered on purpose the court together with former Virtus Bologna and current EA7 Emporio Armani Milan coach Ettore Messina before the tipoff.
Banchi’s gesture protected Messina from the ultras of Virtus, as Messina admitted at the press conference, by thanking his colleague: “I want to thank Luca because he did a very classy gesture of welcoming me by entering the court with me at the beginning of the game. He wanted to come on the court with me for a reason that you can probably understand. And that’s a nice gesture from a colleague”.
Coach Banchi elaborated even further: “What happened before the game I think is a due act of respect for the opponent and of great consideration, esteem, admiration for him. There is nothing extraordinary. I want to clarify this since I’ve been here only for a short time. If I didn’t know the history of this club, I couldn’t project it into the future, so I respect history. Because it’s an inspiration to me. I have never hidden the fact that here there is a lot of Sasha [Djordjevic], there is a lot of Sergio [Scariolo], but when I see the “V” I think of Dan Peterson, Porelli, Ettore Messina, Alberto Bucci. Having the privilege of entering the field at his side is an honor”.
So that’s why as Banchi said, this kind of sportsmanship must become the new norm in Europe: “He doesn’t have to thank me at all, we are the ones who thank him because we have experienced this evening as something unique and special. Every night you play a Euroleague game or you face teams like Milan with certain champions or you face a coach like him it is right that you reflect on the privilege you are experiencing”.