Mens Sana: Coach Vecchi's initial assessment: "It's a long road, but I like the attitude."

The first week of training at PalaGiannelli and Bernino in Poggibonsi went off without a hitch for coach Vecchi 's Mens Sana (pictured here), who also added Nepi to the mix, joining the group a couple of days after the training camp. The Siena Note coach summed up the first few days of preparation, saying he's satisfied with what he's seen so far. "We've started to introduce the first game concepts," said the former Ravenna and Imola coach. "We know we still have a long way to go, but the attitude and conditioning all the players have shown up with gives me hope. We have a roster made up of dynamic big men and outside players who perform best in transition. I'd say my basketball vision fits well with the team's characteristics. I also think it's important not to underestimate how a very fast and energetic game can create a great symbiosis with our fans, who are our sixth man on the court and an added value. It's therefore right to consider these aspects when planning our game."

Then on to the latest arrival. "When we reached an agreement with Nepi, he already had a personal commitment that couldn't be rescheduled," Vecchi emphasized, "and that's why he joined us a few days later. But he showed up very ready because he's trained all summer, so he's in excellent physical condition. Having trained a little less, he's fine-tuning his understanding with his teammates, but it's only a matter of time. We're also starting to play five-on-five, but we need to do it gradually because we've been pushing the coaches anyway, so now we need to gradually introduce the game. It's an intense period of work, but we knew that. From a personal standpoint, I hope that little by little I'll be able to start enjoying the city, which is truly beautiful," Vecchi concluded.

This week will continue with double training sessions until Saturday, when Pannini and his teammates will be in Arezzo for their first preseason test. The following weekend, the green-and-whites will be at Costone for a four-team tournament against Virtus and Olimpia Legnaia. Two friendlies are also scheduled for the following weekend: in addition to the one on Saturday, September 13th, in San Miniato, the green-and-whites will most likely also play on Friday the 12th against San Giobbe Chiusi (location and time to be determined).

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