Pre-Olympic: Italy beaten by Puerto Rico, now Lithuania

Alvarado shatters national team defense

Tough defeat for the National Team at the pre-Olympic in San Juan. The Azzurri are beaten by the hosts Puerto Rico (80-69 the final). A defeat that entails a challenge with Lithuania, immediately, in the semifinals (match scheduled for Saturday at 10 p.m. Italian time).

In the first three periods, Italy manages to hold its own against the hosts, so much so that, with 10' to go, the score è in balance (57-57). At this point, Alvarado goes wild. The Pelicans player è practically infallible from long distance. The Azzurri cannot limit him and, on the offensive end, they jam. Result? Puerto Rico wins the match, earning the semifinal with Mexico and leaving Italy the complicated challenge with Lithuania, the number one favorite to win the tournament.

Alvarado ended his incredible game with an impressive 29 points on the scoreboard, with a heavenly 7/10 from three-point range. In the Azzurri’s house, the best scorer è Gallinari, author of 14 points (came off the court injured) while Mannion ends his game with 11 points.

On Saturday, a real feat will be needed to knock out the very strong Lithuania and thus snatch the pass to the final of the tournament where, probably, there will be Puerto Rico again. The road to the Olympics has become even more complicated for Pozzecco’s team.