Eurobasket 2022, Sergio Scariolo is in history: fourth European title

Spain triumphed in the final by beating France 88-76

Already intoxicated by the feat he accomplished in the semifinals, when his Spain beat hosts Germany with a 31-point fourth quarter, Sergio Scariolo wanted to ‘overdo it,’ going for the fourth European title of his tenure as coach of the ‘Red Furies.’ Starting with the odds stacked against him, at the head of a roster he himself described as experimental, the Virtus Bologna coach led his team to the conquest of another European laurel, after the triumphs of 2009, 2011 and 2015.

Drawn by an extra-luxury Juancho Hernangomez (27 points, 5 rebounds and 7/9 from the arc, with 6/7 in the second period alone), also elected MVP of the final, and by a Lorenzo Brown who dished out as many as 11 assists, topped by 14 points, Spain led operations from the first quarter, which closed 23-14. The transalpines, led by a Fournier’s final 23 points, had approached as close as minus 3, on 49-46 for the opponents, but then plunged back into double-digit disadvantage thanks to the Iberians’ hermetic closure in defense, then lethal in the opponent’s half-court.