Italbasket overwhelms Great Britain: now challenge Serbia in Berlin
Great Britain – Italy 56-90 at the Forum
The third win at the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 did not allow Gianmarco Pozzecco’s team to improve on fourth place in Group C, but today’s +34 was certainly the best way to say goodbye to Milan and the very warm audience that has filled the Forum stands since Sept. 2 to support the national team.
The Azzurri overcame Great Britain 90-56 and tomorrow they fly to Berlin, where the final phase of the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 will be played from September 10 to 18. Moments of deep and widespread emotion before the two-ball, when the two teams observed a minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away today at the age of 96.
Italy will face Serbia in the Round of 16 (live SkySportArena, Now and ELEVEN). In today’s other Group C challenges, Greece topped Estonia 90-69 while Croatia bent Ukraine 90-85.
The top Azzurro scorer was Simone Fontecchio with 18 points, also in double figures were Gigi Datome (13), Nicolò Melli (11) and Giampaolo Ricci (10).
Spissu, Tonut, Polonara, Fontecchio and Melli the quintet confirmed by Pozzecco and the start was comforting (10-0) thanks to Fontecchio and Melli, awarded before the game by FIP president Giovanni Petrucci for 100 games in the Maglia Azzurra.
As the minutes go by, Great Britain finds the right rhythm in offense and gets back in touch (Hesson 10 points in the first half): Baldasso’s triple brings us back within striking distance at the end of the second quarter (47-37), the score on which we go to the long break.
Fontecchio and Tonut inspire another stretch midway through the third quarter (60-45) and from that moment on the Azzurri maintain the double-digit lead, even stretching it to +24 (78-54, 9 consecutive by Datome) and up to the final 90-56.
At the end of the game, the Azzurri’s due tribute to the Forum’s 8,000 spectators.
The schedule of the round of 16 (Berlin)
Sept. 10
Turkey-France (12 noon)
Slovenia-Belgium (2:45 p.m.)
Germany-Montenegro (6 p.m.)
Spain-Lithuania (8:45 p.m.)
Sept. 11
Greece-Czech Republic
Ukraine-Poland
Finland-Croatia
Serbia-Italy
