Former Italian NT coach Romeo Sacchetti takes over Pallacanestro Cantu / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: FIBA Media Credit FIBA Media

A few days after his term with the Italian national team was over, coach Romeo Sacchetti signed a two-year contract with Acqua S. Bernardo Pallacanestro Cantu, a team competing in the second division.

Sacchetti had been coaching the Italian NT from 2017 to 2022, a period in which he led the Azzurri at the 2019 World Cup in China and at the Tokyo Olympic Games held in 2021. His biggest accomplishment was snatching the Olympic ticket in Belgrade, where Italy beat hosts Serbia to make the final tournament.

With him on the bench, Italy returned to a World Cup after 13 years and to the Olympics 17 years since their previous appearance.

At the club level, Sacchetti led Dinamo Sassari to a historic triple-crown (championship, Cup and Super Cup) in 2014-15, a feat that had previously only been accomplished by Siena and Benetton Treviso. In the same year, he also guided Dinamo to their EuroLeague debut.

He was twice (2012, 2019) elected "Best Coach of the Year" in the Serie A. As a player, he won a silver medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and a historic gold medal at the 1983 Nantes European Championships, as well as a silver medal at the Mediterranean Games in the same year and a bronze medal at the 1985 European Championships.

In 2016, Sacchetti entered the Italy Basket Hall of Fame.

His most recent experiences at the club level date back to Brindisi (2016-17), Cremona (2017-20) and Fortitudo Bologna (2020-21). On the Vanoli bench, Sacchetti added the third Italian Cup to his resume (2019).

Cantu lost the promotion to Serie A in Game 5 against Scafati who followed Verona in Italy's top flight after 14 years. That development paved the way for Sacchetti to succeed previous coach Marco Sodini, who was fired some days ago.

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