Gianmarco Pozzecco exults with Nicolo Melli

The words of Gianmarco Pozzecco

The huge heart of the Azzurri, the usual extraordinary affection of Pesaro, the debut of Nik Melli as captain bathed by 17 points. Italy’s journey to the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 starts in the best way, in front of the 8,800 spectators at Vitrifrigo Arena coach Pozzecco’s team wins over Turkey 87-80.

The Azzurri’s best scorer è was Nik Melli with 17 points, also in double figures Marco Spissu (12), Stefano Tonut (12),  Pippo Ricci (11) and Nico Mannion (10). Tarik Biberovic the top scorer for Turkey and the game with 27 points.

During the game, Gigi Datome honored at center court Carlo Recalcati, 166 appearances and 1,245 points in the Maglia Azzurra as a player and 242 games as coach of the national team, a Bronze at the 2003 European Championship and especially the Silver medal brought home in 2004 from the Olympic Games in Athens.

Così coach Pozzecco at the end of the game: “We won an important game: we started out nervous and it could have been because we hadné t seen each other for so many months but then we loosened up on offense. We are a talented team and we showed that. Our victory starts with defense, and tonight from the second quarter we defended really hard. I expected the guys to play with ardor and attachment to the jersey. I am grateful to them because they always come to the national team with desire and determination. I feel it by coaching them and the public feels it. People enjoy it becauseé the fans want to see players banging it out on the court. We were especially good in the second quarter when we increased our intensity. I trust and rely on Melli, whom I still consider one of the strongest players in the world”.