FOCUS ON THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER BRUNO ARRIGONI

To Bruno Arrigoni, this is a much appreciated return after his past experience in Varese. As a matter of fact, from 1973 to 1976, he was Sandro Gamba’s assistant and with them the team won one championship and two Champions cups. In the 1996/97 season, he was assistant coach of Dodo Rusconi.



Profile:



Bruno Arrigoni

Born in Milan on 30th October 1945



Arrigoni is one of the most renowned professionals in the Italian basketball arena. After over 30 years of career as a coach, in which he spent long periods of time in Varese, he marked a whole era in Cantù where, in 21 seasons, he led the team to reach top results. He started his career as a coach with Canottieri Milano, then moved to the youth teams of Simmenthal with which he won three championships in three years and covered also the role of assistant for the first team. His first period in Varese was long and very successful, at the time of the great Ignis-MobilGirgi: from 1973 to 1976, he was assistant to Sandro Gamba in Varese. After a period in Bergamo as head coach in the men’s league of Serie B, he became a successful leader also in the women’s sector. As a technician, he brought Fiat Torino to win two championships and one Champions cup (1977-1980) while at the same time guiding the National Team in the Seoul World Championship (5th place) and to the Moscow Olympics (6th place). On a national level, he also works with the Military National Team, the National A Team, the Experimental Teams, and the Under 22 Team. Since 1983, he has been working again in the men’s sector, both Serie A and B, namely with the teams of Verona, Pordenone, Siena, Casale Monferrato, Mortara, and Padua.



After 8 seasons as head coach, Fabrizio Frates engaged him as assistant in Cantù where he stayed for six years. In the 1996/97 season, he was back in Varese as assistant to Dodo Rusconi and later on also played the role of European scout with Fortitudo Bologna. Once he ended his career as a coach, he started working as a manager for the Cantù club, winning a promotion to the Serie A (1995/96) and returning to the European competitions (Uleb Cup 2004, Eurocup 2005, Eurolega 2011). In the 2010/11 season, after thirty years, the white and blue team made it to the championship finals and almost made it also in the following season. On top of all these great results, he led his team to win the Italian Supercup twice (in the 2003/04 and 2012/13 seasons) and to play four Italian Basketball Cup finals.



However, at the end of 2013 Arrigoni left the Brianza team to become the team manager of Virtus Bologna. With him, the club obtained access to the playoffs in the last season. In 2009/10, he was appointed best manager of the season. Thanks to his vast knowledge of basketball and his mediation abilities, the Italian championship could enjoy the outstanding performance of major players such as Bootsy Thornton, Rimantas Kaukenas, Sofoklis Schortsianitis (eighteen year old at that time, Euroleague winner last year with Maccabi Tel-Aviv), two former players of the white and red team Michel Morandais (2009/10) and Mike Green (2012/13) as well as a promising Okaro White.