Virtus Bologna blocks Nicola Akele: no national team. Head coach Luca Banchi runs for cover.

Nicola Akele is no longer part of the group of the national basketball team that will begin Thursday, Nov. 27, in Tortona against Iceland, the qualification path to the 2027 World Cup. As made official on Monday, Virtus Bologna declared the 30-year-old forward no longer available for the call-up, who will instead have to make up for Alen Smailagic’s absence due to injury within his club&#8217s rotations.

The 30-year-old forward will have to make up for Alen Smailagic’s absence due to injury.

For the international window, therefore, coach Luca Banchi has decided to replace Akele with Elisèe Assui, a 19-year-old from Varese Basketball who with the National Under-20 team recently won the European championship title, won in the final 83-66 with 17 points as a starter for Assui himself.

Italy will play in this international window (which stops the championship and FIBA competitions but not the Euroleague, which sees Virtus Bologna among the participants) not only with Iceland on the 27th at the Nova Arena in Tortona, but also on Sunday, the 30th, at 5 p.m. Italian time, in Klaipeda against Lithuania. The qualifying round, which also includes Great Britain, will promote three teams to the second phase at its end.

The following is coach Luca Banchi&#8217s list of summoned players, updated with the inclusion of Assui.

00 Amedeo Della Valle 1993 194 Guard Germani Brescia
7 Stefano Tonut 1993 194 Guard EA7 Emporio Armani Milano
15 Elisèe Assui 2006 191 Wing Openjobmetis Varese
16 Amedeo Tessitori 1994 207 Center Umana Reyer Venezia
19 Gabriele Procida 2002 198 Guard/Ala Real Madrid – Spain
23 Diego Garavaglia 2007 201 Wing Ratiopharm Ulm – Germany
24 Francesco Ferrari 2005 205 Wing Gesteco Cividale del Friuli
25 Tommaso Baldasso 1998 192 Guard Bertram Tortona
26 Luigi Suigo 2007 220 Center Mega Superbet Basket – Serbia
27 Leonardo Candi 1997 190 Play/Guard Umana Reyer Venezia
28 Davide Casarin 2003 196 Guard Ferramenta Vanoli Cremona
33 Achille Polonara 1991 205 Ala Banco di Sardegna Sassari
37 Matteo Librizzi 2002 181 Playmaker Openjobmetis Varese
38 Riccardo Rossato 1996 189 Guard Trapani Shark
44 Sasha Grant 2002 201 Wing Ferramenta Vanoli Cremona
50 Luca Vincini 2003 207 Ala/Centro Banco di Sardegna Sassari
77 John Petrucelli 1992 188 Guard/Ala Trapani Shark