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PG/SG Amedeo Della Valle (AX Armani Exchange Milano - Italy)

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Great article. Was not going to come to the United States but visited the city of Miami with his mother and then changed his mind. Says that he loves Columbus.
COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Ohio State's only freshman, Amedeo Della Valle, understands why he has emerged as a fan favorite in his first season in Columbus.

?I can really see myself almost as a regular student,? Della Valle, a native of Italy, said Wednesday. ?To many of the students, they probably see themselves as me because I maybe don't look like a basketball player.?

He doesn't. At 6-5 and listed at 190 pounds, Della Valle is known mostly for his black curls, a hairstyle not often seen on the court. So he has taken on the role seen on many teams -- the guy on the end of the bench that students root to see late in blowouts.

But he has played a little more lately.

With the Buckeyes headed to Northwestern on Thursday, I asked Thad Matta about his eight-man rotation, and the OSU coach said he has liked how it's worked so far this season. I joked that we usually ask Matta at this time of year about why he doesn't play his bench more and whether his guys are getting tired, but with Shannon Scott, Evan Ravenel and LaQuinton Ross coming off the bench on a regular basis, it hasn't been as much of an issue.

?I like what we've got going right now,? said Matta, who, despite some more strenuous practices than usual, believes the Buckeyes are in good shape with their health and stamina. ?And I'm hoping we can continue to use Amedeo. He's been practicing great and he's played well in the games he's been in.?

Della Valle didn't play in Sunday's win over Michigan State, but did see 10 minutes in the loss at Wisconsin when much of the team was in a fog and Matta emptied the bench, and he came back after that with seven minutes against Minnesota.

He had played just two minutes in the previous 11 games. For the season he's played 93 minutes and scored 36 points, making 10 of 24 3-pointers. He had 11 of those points against Chicago State, and has scored 11 in Big Ten play.

He's not going to emerge as a valuable piece of a top-20 team at this point of the season. But he has enough shooting ability that he could contribute for the Buckeyes down the line. He was given a scholarship out of Nevada's Findlay Prep late in the recruiting cycle last year, and Ohio State doesn't have a true shooter like him on the roster.

So he might play. No matter how he looks.

At the very least, he's made some friends, attending a function for the ?Block O? student group after receiving an invite.

?He never invites us, by the way,? teammate Sam Thompson jokingly complained. ?That's the party guy.?

?I don't know why I always get invited,? Della Valle said with a smile and his Italian accent. ?I decided to go because I like to make connections with people, and you might meet new people that you know one day, they will be your boss or be some important people in your life, so you never know.?
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http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2013/02/ohio_state_freshman_amedeo_del.html
 
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Diebler was one of the smartest basketball players I've watched. He always knew where to go on the floor to open up space for others and make himself available for easy passes. That's one aspect of ADV's game that we won't be able to evaluate until he gets significant playing time, but was a big part of Diebler starting from the get-go.
 
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BengalsAndBucks said:
Diebler was one of the smartest basketball players I've watched. He always knew where to go on the floor to open up space for others and make himself available for easy passes. That's one aspect of ADV's game that we won't be able to evaluate until he gets significant playing time, but was a big part of Diebler starting from the get-go.
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Earlier in the season before the Big Ten season began an announcer on TV said that Matta told them that Amedeo was the smartest player that he ever coached. That's what he said "the smartest". Not saying that Diebler was not a smart basketball player but just quoting Thad .
 
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3bler was 6'7 also...

hes the all time leader in B1G 3 point field goals...

but ADV is a pest on the defense, an he can really block shots for a guard....nice stroke also...

his name kind of rolls off the announcers tongue
 
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Frizzy ?fro helps make Ohio State men's basketball's Amedeo Della Valle a fan fave
By Allison Slonaker
[email protected]
Published: Wednesday, March 27, 2013

1668326802.jpg

Daniel Chi / Asst. photo editor

OSU freshman guard Amedeo Della Valle shoots the ball during a game against Nebraska on Jan. 2 at the Schottenstein Center. OSU won, 70-44.

Amedeo Della Valle doesn?t get much time on the court.

The freshman guard played in only 15 out of Ohio State?s 35 games this season. That trend likely won?t change when the Buckeyes face Arizona Thursday in the Sweet 16. But throughout the season, where his presence is lacking on the court, it?s made up for in the stands.

Fans often chant Della Valle?s name, wearing wigs resembling his now-recognizable dark, curly-haired afro.

But standing at 6 feet 5 inches and weighing 190 pounds, he said he just feels like a normal student.

?I can see myself as a regular student, and many students can maybe see themselves as me because I maybe don?t look like a basketball player,? Della Valle said. ?So they can tell he is working really hard and trying to be successful.?

The Alba, Italy, native came to the United States in 2011 and played for Findlay Prep High School, in Henderson, Nev., his senior year. He said he never expected to get the kind of attention he does at OSU -- but he can?t get enough.

?I just get a lot of love from everybody, I love it honestly,? Della Valle said. ?The first couple of games, I was like, ?This is crazy so we will see how it goes,? and then it started increasing and increasing over time,? Della Valle said.

Andy Johnson, assistant coach at Findlay Prep, said Della Valle was also a fan favorite during his time there because of his personality.

?He is just a great young man who is extremely outgoing and caring,? Johnson said. ?Everybody just fell in love with him. We still talk about him and miss him.?

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http://www.thelantern.com/sports/fr...della-valle-a-fan-fave-1.3016298#.UVQvRlexu3M
 
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