"The game in Caserta was my last," said Meo Sacchetti, who led Montecatini to the playoffs in the national B league. One of the living monuments of Italian basketball will turn 73 in August. He spent over half a century on the basketball court.
A historic silver medal with Italy at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, a gold medal at the 1983 European Championships, and a symbol first for Turin and then for Varese. These are the key milestones in his playing career.
He began coaching 30 years ago in Turin, first bringing his style to Serie A with his playing style in Capo d'Orlando, then in the summer of 2009, he was called to Sassari by the Mele family, who then ran Dinamo. This partnership resulted in promotion to the top flight in his first year, followed by an increasingly exciting run (in the meantime, the club had been sold to Sardara and his associates), which led to the club's first historic trophy in 2014: the Coppa Italia. The following season, he achieved an even more historic and sensational treble: the Supercoppa Italiana, a second Coppa Italia, and the Scudetto. He also won a Coppa Italia in 2019 on the Cremona bench, under the trusty Travis Diener. As Italy coach, he led the national team back to the Olympics after a 21-year absence.
But Meo's successes aren't the only things that remain: his great humanity, his flair for the joke, and his former great player's ability to get inside the heads of great players and get them to perform at their best. A few years ago, he moved into a house in Alghero: "Do I feel Sardinian? I vote here in Sardinia too," he told L'Unione Sarda a few days ago.
His legacy is evident every time he passes by the PalaSerradimigni or crosses paths with fans. Smiles and affection for the Altamura giant.