Elia Morandotti on the field the day after his mother’s death: he scores 55 points – Corriere.it

In memory of mother Maura, disappeared on Sunday March 26, and in the footsteps that his father Riccardo traced, from whom he inherited the genes of the value basketball player. This is the story of Elia Morandotti, 18 years oldson of art because dad – better known as Ricky – was a former blue and for twenty years a player in Serie A between Turin (the team that launched him at a high level), Verona and Virtus Bologna (with the black Vs the longer militancy, from 1991 to 1996), without forgetting the parentheses with Varese and Roseto and, towards the end of his career, with Gira, Trapani and Guelfo Basket.

Ancillary curiosity, which perhaps many ignore: Morandotti senior first cousin of Steven Adams, New Zealand center for the Memphis Grizzlies and weightlifter (Olympic and world medalist) Valerie Adams. Elia was born in 2005 – from a second relationship with Ricky – and followed in his father’s footsteps, but also in his aunt Gabriella Morandotti (in turn a former player). He plays in the Santarcangelo Angels, the Under 19 team of the championship of excellence, but also trains in A2 with Rinascita Basket Rimini.

Domenica discovered the harshness of life because the mother who died in tragic conditions. In such a situation it was reasonable to imagine that basketball was not the first of his thoughts. Instead the state. The day after, i.e. Monday 27th, a match of the Angels against Perugia basket was in fact scheduled. No one expected Elia to be there, instead he showed up at the gym and to the amazement of his teammates and the coach, he wanted to play at all costs. What he has combined in just 28 minutes on the field was nothing short of mind-blowing: He scored a whopping 55 points on 10-of-13 three-pointers and 9-of-13 two-pointers. With two minutes left in the game, he was immaculately 10-for-10 in triples.

The Angels won hands down (128-59), but the party was first of all for him: on social networks there is a photo of him among his teammates; Elijah’s face not logically exultant, for his emblematic presence. The game served him to soften the pain, as far as possible, and to build a bridge between the difficult situation he found himself facing and a future that will be more than ever on basketball courts. Pap was four times champion of Italy and with Virtus also champion of Europe (1997-98). Also in Bologna he won an Italian Super Cup, while in Verona, in 1991, he won the Italian Cup. Ricky was a great shooter and a player with above average physical means: Elia seems to have a talent no less than his father and if it is true that the evolution of the species exists he will probably become even stronger.