A wave of coaching changes is reshaping the landscape of Italy’s Lega Basket A (LBA) as the 2025-2026 season approaches. Nicola Brienza has been removed as coach of Cantù Basketball, with Walter De Raffaele expected to seize the helm, according to announcements made in recent days.
The upheaval extends beyond Cantù. Apu Udine has parted ways with Adriano Vertemati. Dinamo Sassari has dismissed Nenad Markovic, replacing him with Veljko Mrsic. Derthona Basketball has seen Mario Fioretti depart, while Aquila Trento has relieved Massimo Cancellieri of his duties.
Perhaps the most significant change comes from Olimpia Milan, where Ettore Messina has resigned. Pepe Poet will assume coaching responsibilities. Brescia Basketball has also made a change, with Matteo Cotelli stepping down. Naples Basket has appointed Downndro Skinny as its new coach.
Treviso Basket has removed Alessandro Rossi, bringing in Marcelo Nicola. Varese Basketball has named Ioannis Castritis as its new head coach. Trieste Basketball has dismissed Israel Gonzalez, with Francesco Taccetti taking over. Reyer Venice has appointed Marigold Spahi, while Reggiana Basketball has brought in Dimitris Priftis.
Vanoli Cremona has appointed Pierluigi Brotto, and The Power of Bologna has named Dusko Ivanovic as its coach. These widespread changes signal a period of significant transition and restructuring within the LBA ahead of the upcoming season.
Recent preseason play saw Cantù defeat Dinamo Sassari 77-66 in a friendly match, according to reports from legabasket.it and unionesarda.it. The match, held in Seveso, marked a third preseason defeat for Dinamo Sassari. Cantù, newly promoted, appeared to control the game for the majority of the contest, though Sassari mounted a brief challenge in the first quarter. The final score reflects Cantù’s dominance throughout the preseason, as noted by legabasket.it.
A separate report from dinamobasket.com details a narrow loss for Dinamo Sassari against Cantù, with a final score of 55-66. The report highlights a late-game surge by Cantù, with a 0-9 run in the final two and a half minutes proving decisive. Lindblom, McIntyre, and Bellers were noted as key performers for Sassari, while Serio and Carossino led Cantù.
Another report from nbapassion.com notes that Cantù has struggled in away games, and that the upcoming match between Sassari and Reyer Venezia, and Cantù’s match against Udine, will be crucial.
