Gianmarco Pozzecco cuts off Nico Mannion
Gianmarco Pozzecco cuts off Nico Mannion
The road to Manila began today with the national team meeting on the Alpe Cimbra in the beautiful resort of Folgaria. Nico Mannion was allowed not to join the team.
CT Gianmarco Pozzecco commnented the exclusion of the Azzurri point guard: “This summer Nico Mannion will not be part of the team. It was a painful decision but shared by both parties. In the last two years, Nico has been an absolute protagonist with the national team, showing a strong attachment to the Azzurro and great professionalism. To do this, however, he has put his physique to the test and we felt, by mutual agreement, that it was the case not to include him in the roster of players who from today will prepare for the World Cup. It begins a long journey that we look forward to. The enthusiasm with which the boys showed up at the gathering is the common thread that will reconnect us to the good things done in previous outings.”
Simone Fontecchio will be available for training starting Friday, July 28.
All workouts will be held with open doors at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Folgaria (Via Nazioni Unite 21b). Monday, July 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 25 to August 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Thursday, July 27, the official presentation of the Azzurro 2023 Training Camp in Folgaria. FIP President Giovanni Petrucci, CT Gianmarco Pozzecco and two Azzurri athletes will be the protagonists of the press conference to be held in Piazza Marconi in Folgaria at 6 p.m.
Folgaria Mayor Michael Rech, Trentino Marketing CEO Maurizio Rossini, APT Alpe Cimbra President Gianluca Gatti and Aquila Basket Trento General Manager Andrea Nardelli will speak.
Thus begins from Alpe Cimbra in Trentino the path that will lead Italbasket to the FIBA World Cup 2023 (Aug. 25-Sept. 10) through a series of 7 high-level friendly matches useful to compose the final roster of the 12 World Azzurri. The first two tests will be the Trentino Basket Cup to be played at the BLM Group Arena in Trento on August 4 and 5. Italy-Turkey (8:30 p.m.) and China-Cape Verde (6 p.m.) will be the semifinals (Aug. 4) that will then determine the finals the following day (Aug. 5, 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.). The Azzurri’s two matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Leaving Trentino, Italy will make a stop in Athens to play in the prestigious Acropolis Tournament, now one of the fixtures of summer basketball for National teams. Awaiting the Azzurri are Serbia (Aug. 9, 6:45 p.m. Italian) and hosts Greece (Aug. 10, 6:45 p.m. Italian). Two matches against two of the strongest lineups in Europe and the world.
Red circle on the calendar on Sunday, Aug. 13. Ravenna’s Pala De André will stage “DatHome Day,” the last match in Italy of Captain Gigi Datome’s career. An evening of unique emotions to celebrate the career, which will then live with the World Cup the last act, of one of the most appreciated players ever as well as a unique example of love for the Azzurro. The opponent will be Puerto Rico and the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
On August 17 the departure for Asia with a stop in Shenzhen China for the last two friendly matches before the World Cup debut. August 20 against Brazil (9 a.m. Italian time) and August 21 against New Zealand (11:30 a.m. Italian time).
On Aug. 25 the rainbow opener against Angola (10 a.m.) in Manila’s spectacular Philippine Arena, a 55,000-seat facility. On the second day the Azzurri will take on the Dominican Republic (10 a.m., Araneta Coliseum) and on the third day the hosts Philippines (2 p.m., Araneta Coliseum).
The FIBA World Cup will be broadcast by Rai, DAZN and Sky Sports.
The 15 summoned players
#0 Marco Spissu (1995, 185, Playmaker, Umana Reyer Venezia)
#7 Stefano Tonut (1993, 194, Guard, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#9 Nicolò Melli (1991, 205, Wing, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#13 Simone Fontecchio (1995, 203, Wing, Utah Jazz – NBA) since July 28.
#17 Giampaolo Ricci (1991, 202, Wing, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#18 Matteo Spagnolo (2003, 194, Playmaker, Real Madrid – Spain)
#30 Guglielmo Caruso (1999, 208, Wing/Center, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#33 Achille Polonara (1991, 205, Wing, Virtus Segafredo Bologna)
#35 Mouhamet Diouf (2001, 206, Wing/Center, Río Breogán – Spain)
#36 Riccardo Visconti (1998, 198, Guard, Carpegna Prosciutto Pesaro)
#40 Luca Severini (1996, 204, Wing/Center, Bertram Yacht Tortona)
#50 Gabriele Procida (2002, 200, Guard/Ala, Alba Berlin – Germany)
#53 Tomas Woldetensae (1998, 196, Guard/Ala, Openjobmetis Varese)
#54 Alessandro Pajola (1999, 194, Playmaker, Virtus Segafredo Bologna)
#70 Luigi Datome (1987, 203, Wing, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
