The young players Lorenzo Bassoli and Mattia Scandolaro arrived in Florence at the beginning of the 2023/24 season to strengthen the Serie A wheelchair basketball team Volpi Rosse Menarini. They made a significant impact, as demonstrated by their inclusion in the ‘Top Five’ at the EuroCup, held in March in Spain.

Following their prestigious recognition, the two young athletes Mattia Scandolaro and Lorenzo Bassoli shared their personal stories, discussed their experiences in competitive wheelchair basketball, and outlined the future objectives for the Florentine team.

Mattia Scandolaro has been dedicated to wheelchair basketball for 15 years. Born in 2000 in Padua, he honed his skills with the CUS team, climbing through the ranks from a young age.

On the other hand, Lorenzo Bassoli, a 22-year-old from Como, has been passionate about sports since his childhood. He embraced wheelchair basketball in 2017, joining the Cantù team, where he played until the conclusion of the previous season.

Mattia, Lorenzo, how was your first year with the Volpi Rosse Menarini?

Mattia: “The first year was quite positive as an initial experience. I found many young players around my age, which was great. Being part of a cohesive group both on and off the field has been very beneficial. Overall, it was a successful year where we showcased our potential. We are a young team, and we managed to improve steadily throughout the season. We also had a strong run in the EuroCup, where our only loss came in the final against Murcia — a team that was simply stronger than us at the moment. Nonetheless, the competition was intense and invaluable for building our team spirit and pinpointing areas for improvement.”

Lorenzo: “Unfortunately, we lost the crucial match for first place in the EuroCup, but we faced a top-tier opponent, one of the strongest in Europe. It was a fantastic experience to compete against Murcia team, to challenge ourselves, and to assert our presence, even against such a well-rounded team. This experience bolstered our confidence and possibly provided the momentum needed to conclude our championship season in the best possible way.”

What position do you play, and what are your main characteristics?

Lorenzo: “Mattia and I play the same position: we’re both point guards or shooting guards. Our main job is to handle the ball and kick off the offense. Everything starts with us and flows through us. We maintain structure, set the pace, and dictate the timing of our teammates’ movements. Essentially, we ensure that all the parts work together smoothly, so the team can perform at its best.”

Why did you choose basketball?

Mattia: “My passion for basketball emerged quite unexpectedly. Originally, I was a swimmer, a sport that is more of an individual discipline. However, I happened to participate in a youth basketball event in my city, and I instantly fell in love with the game. It has been incredibly meaningful to me. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to dedicate a significant amount of time to basketball. Achieving increasingly higher levels of success has been very gratifying. But there’s an even more important aspect I’ve come to appreciate: sports serve as a release and bring me peace. Through basketball, I’ve developed strong personal relationships, received support from teammates, and made many friends in other clubs. I have grown not just as a basketball player but also as a person.”

Lorenzo: “Basketball is a deep passion of mine as well. I started playing in junior leagues as a child. Watching videos of champions like Kobe Bryant fueled my desire to push myself further. Wheelchair basketball brought me immense courage, especially after becoming disabled when the despair of not being able to play standing up was overwhelming. The sport has opened many doors for me, both on and off the field. Among teammates, we support each other in the small and significant challenges we face.”

How much effort goes into achieving specific individual and team goals?

Mattia: “In our sport, it’s crucial to understand teammates’ needs, especially considering their disabilities. Training intensely is key to developing the right team chemistry. The more effort you put in, the more you improve. With the opportunity to train twice a day, I’ve dedicated a significant part of my day to basketball, which has helped me build meaningful human relationships essential for personal and collective growth.”

After shining in the EuroCup tournament and finishing second, what are the most evident differences between the Italian and European basketball scenes?

Lorenzo: “The European format has a unique feature: it includes knockout matches, which are a double-edged sword. When you’re in good shape, you can win even a match that was predicted to be a sure loss. However, a single bad day leaves no opportunity to recover from a defeat. You have to be ready for the dynamics of these challenges and understand that anything can happen. It’s incredibly exciting to play against unfamiliar teams and experience different styles of basketball. I am deeply passionate about these events because they represent the pinnacle of competitiveness.”

What does it mean to be named among the best players of the European tournament?

Mattia: “I didn’t expect it at all. I always try to live in the moment, and I really enjoy these types of tournaments where I consistently perform my best against players we don’t usually encounter. Competing against international teams offers a chance to feel different emotions compared to those experienced during regular league play. It heightens the adrenaline and boosts performance. I especially noticed a significant shift at the team level. Despite the EuroCup being just a few days long, we were able to develop a perfect synergy among ourselves. Personally, being named to the ‘Top Five’ of the tournament it’s an honor, but I was even more impressed by how well we worked together as a team.”

What are the future goals for the Volpi Rosse Menarini?

Lorenzo: “We are very pleased with the result we achieved: fifth overall in Serie A. In Italy, four teams dominate the league. For us, this was a foundational year, yet despite that, we proved we were ready to compete with the top teams right away. I think that in the future, we could seriously challenge this established hierarchy. We aim to continually improve and perhaps even dethrone one of the favorites to win it all.”