Italbasket puts on a show, staging a comeback victory after trailing by 13 against the Lithuanian stars

Italy defeated Lithuania 87-74 in Bologna in its final game of the first qualifying round for the 2027 FIBA World Cup, pulling off an extraordinary comeback. The Azzurri erased a 13-point deficit in the final five minutes, going on a sensational 24-8 run that completely turned the tide of the game.

With this victory, the national team finishes in first place in Group D ahead of Lithuania and Iceland (which won 88-86 on the road against Great Britain), securing its fifth consecutive win following the setback in Tortona against the very same Icelandic team.

In the second phase of the Qualifiers, Italy will face the top three teams from Group C: Turkey (already assured of first place), Serbia, and Bosnia. The latter two will face off tomorrow night; the official schedule will be finalized after that game.

On an individual level, Nico Mannion was the standout performer, scoring 27 points. Matteo Spagnolo (14) and Stefano Tonut (10) also scored in double digits.

After the game, FIP President Giovanni Petrucci praised the team’s performance: “This is truly a victory of humility. This is today’s Italy, but we’ll keep our feet on the ground.”

Gabriele Procida was also satisfied, emphasizing the team’s spirit: “Before the game, the coach told us we had to play as a team better than they did. I think we proved that: we never gave up, not even when we were down by 10 points in the final minutes. We kept fighting, we made some easy baskets, and, above all, we did what we were asked to do: play as a better team than Lithuania.”

There was also great emotion in the words of interim head coach Ramondino: “This is the greatest honor of my career. The work done by Coach Banchi and Gigi Datome was essential in building this team, despite the many absences. The guys gelled as a team right from the start and were able to adapt to all the tactical situations Lithuania presented. In the final minutes, we were exhausted, but they continued to execute what we’d prepared, showing great character and dedication. From an emotional standpoint, coaching this team was really easy.”