The group stage of the European basketball has just ended. Let's take stock of the situation of the Italian national team.
The point on Italy at Eurobasket
Group in chiaroscuro for the Azzurri, very good start with easy victories over Isreaele (69-48) and Ukraine (66-78). Italy immediately shows a great team spirit which turns into a very effective defense. Even in the offensive phase everything seems to work well, especially in long-range shooting. Guided offensively by a very successful Belinelli, the Azzurri athletes get an excellent 48% from three against Israel which becomes an unreal 55% against Ukraine.
Third meeting against the battleship Lithuania (73-78). Game with the prediction closed that the blues with merit keep open until the end. The Azzurri start very strong, 8-0 with the baskets of Belinelli and Melli, then 19-9 with Melli still on the shields. From there the Baltics, led by Juskevicius and Valanciunas, begin their comeback closing the first quarter in a draw at 23. In the following quarters Lithuania takes the lead and keeps it until the end. Despite the defeat, Italy plays an excellent match that bodes well for the rest of the tournament.
Unfortunately in the fourth match things change. The national team faces Germany under star Schroder. The defensive phase seems to work very well but something is wrong with the attack. The ball does not turn as well as in the first matches, the personal initiatives in attack are not very effective and, consequently, the shots are often dirty and forced. The percentages from the field collapse (37% from two and 24% from three) and inevitably there is a defeat (55-61) which complicates the path a bit in the rest of the tournament even if the qualification for the second round is already acquired. In this match, the performance of Filloy should be noted, the only one to show himself in form in attack and to keep Italy just six points behind the Teutonics.
… And then comes the fifth match
This brings us to the fifth and decisive match against Georgia. Italy has already broken the pass for the round of 24 and this match serves to determine whether they will face Finland or Slovenia, against the latter the prediction would be almost closed. The match seems to be a synthesis of the group played by the Azzurri up to now. After some uncertain action, the first attack ends with a violation of the 27 seconds, Italy starts to play very well, all the gears turn perfectly, like in a Swiss watch. Datome, Belinelli, Cusin and the usual Filloy push the national team up to 10-33 with which the first period ends. The start of the second quarter is still positive, the Azzurri hold on to the Georgian recovery attempt for a couple of minutes until 15-33. From here on, something in the blue gears jams. Georgia, with Dixon Shermadini Pachulia and Shengelia, return up to 30-11, then Belinelli and Aradori are good at giving Italy some oxygen and closing the first half with an eight point lead. In the third period, Italy resumes playing quite well and increases the advantage up to 15 points. The fourth period also starts well, with the national team in control six minutes from the end, the advantage is 64 points (49-4) and the inertia of the match suggests a quiet victory for the Azzurri. At this point, 59 consecutive points from Pachulia awaken the hearts of the Georgian players, Shengelia and above all Dixon take over the game and suddenly Italy, 67 seconds from the end, is 68-69 below. In the following action Hackett beats Dixon in dribble and puts the basket of the new Italy advantage against the glass (68-14). No one scores anymore ... with 70 seconds left, Aradori has two free throws that would give Italy a possession full of advantage but the tension is great and he misses one (68-71). The Georgian coach calls a timeout and draws a throw-in to free Dixon on a three-pointer but, fortunately, he misses. The rebound ends up in the hands of Aradori who is fouled and goes to the line of charity with the possibility of closing the match. Also this time the tension leads our athlete to miss a free throw, however, bringing the Azzurri ahead by three (68-71). The final is heart-pounding, Italy obviously commits a foul for not allowing the three-man attempt. Dixon shows up on the line, scores the first free (69-XNUMX) and deliberately misses the second to try to recover the rebound. The plan works, Pachulia takes the rebound and Shermadini serves a ball that only needs to be placed on the basket. Since behind he makes the block of life, Italy closes third and will face Finland in the second round.
But what an effort ...
