Born in the Sumartin village, on the island of Brač, to Navy Captain Petar and teacher mother Marija, Skansi graduated from the Split streamlined maritime high school in 1961.

In his first season as coach-player, Skansi led Jugoplastika in the semifinals of 1973–74 FIBA Korać Cup where his team was eliminated hardly by Partizan (97–108 loss in Belgrade and 85–75 win in Split).

In 1975–76 season his last as player alongside coach, Skansi won his first European trophy the FIBA Korać Cup in a double final against the Italian club Chinamartini Torino.

Having taken over in 1975 and invested heavily since, the club's financial backer who made his wealth manufacturing and selling kitchen appliances was looking for elusive domestic league success.

Giving further indication of Scavolini's ambitions in summer 1981 was the simultaneous acquisition of 28-year-old European superstar Dragan Kićanović from Partizan whom Skansi knew well from coaching him in the Yugoslav national team.

[4] Playing in a fourteen-club Italian league, Skansi's Scavolini Pesaro finished the regular season top of the table with a 25–7 record thus getting the home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The following round, the semifinals, brought Sinudyne Bologna, a much tougher test, and the series went to the deciding game three where Scavolini eked out a hard-fought 88–87 win on their home court in Pesaro.

With a formidable looking starting five of Kićanović, Sylvester, Ponzoni, Magnifico, and Jerkov, as well as the previous season's experience, the goal of winning the league was now even more of an objective than the year before.

The league playoffs began versus the sixth seed Auxilium Torino at the quarterfinal stage with Scavolini progressing fairly comfortably 2–1, winning both home games dominantly.

The semifinals brought their nemesis Billy Milano, which had the home court advantage this time due to placing higher in the regular season than Scavolini.

The next season Benetton under his coaching, reached the 1993 FIBA European League Final Four that took place in Peace and Friendship Stadium, Athens and unexpectedly lost to Limoges by 55–59 score.

After Croatia's independence in 1991, Skansi became the Croatian national basketball team head coach, and with them he won the silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.