Forlì, tomorrow in Piacenza watch out for Marks: "You strong, but we still believe"

Derrick Marks, a 1.91m guard, born in 1993, after 16 games played with the Cividale revelation jersey, was cut by the Friulians in mid-December and moved to Piacenza, the very team that will host Unieuro tomorrow in one of the 33rd round advances. And after years in Tortona, Ravenna, Turin, Pistoia, Cento and Rimini, today Marks is trying to drag Assigeco away from the relegation zone.

Marks, can you tell us how your season has been so far?

"In Cividale at the beginning everything went well: I played, the team won. Then something started to go wrong and the club made a choice that surprised me, but that is part of the world of professional sports".

That is, she cut it and called back Doron Lamb. Were you upset?

"Sure, but sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn't, you have to accept that."

So he left again from Piacenza.

"It was a new beginning, a different environment, a different challenge from that of a high-ranking team like Cividale: that is, fighting to help the club stay in A2. It's not easy at all, but we'll give it our all."

What kind of environment did you find when you arrived in Piacenza in mid-December?

"An environment that didn't want to give up and wanted to play its cards to the end. And a team that, even when losing, doesn't give up until the last possession."

In Cividale you scored 11 points on average, while in the 13 games in Piacenza (3 won and 10 lost) you rose to 19.5 with 44% from two, 39% from three and 93% from the free throw line: has he returned to being the team's leading man?

"I try and in any case I adapt to what I am asked to do. I have played in eight different teams in Italy and each coach had his own idea about my use which I have always tried to respect".

Now Unieuro. What do you think of the Forlì team?

"It's one of the top teams, it has a very long bench, it has experienced players, it's solid, complete in every department, it has talent and also an excellent coach."

Antino Martino was his coach in Ravenna in the 2/2016 A17 championship...

"He was already an excellent coach back then, and today he has improved and is truly one of the best in the league. And he is still a good friend."

Forlì has had many ups and downs...

"I know, but then again, which team hasn't had them? It's a problem that in a difficult championship like this has affected everyone so it's understandable."

What will be the key to the match?

"We will have to limit Forlì because if we put it on the talent level it will be difficult to compete. We will have to be tough and determined from the beginning to the end without drops, defend great as a team, execute in attack with patience, control the pace and make box-outs on the rebound against the big men from Forlì who are many and dangerous".

If you had to take a player away from Unieuro, who would it be?

"I'll name three. Harper, a key player on defense but also on offense; a dangerous shooter like Perkovic and Gaspardo who is very good at playing both close to and far from the basket."

Do you still believe in Piacenza's salvation?

"I believe in it and, I repeat, all my teammates believe in it. We will continue to fight until the end, we owe it to ourselves, to the club and to our fans". Unieuro warned.