The path of Italbasket to the Under 20 2022 European Championships in Podgorica (Montenegro) begins with a victory – not without a few sufferings in the final. The Azzurri beat Portugal 67-71 in the opening match of the group stage (Group B), after having led for most of the game except to suffer the return of the opponents in the final minutes. Coach Magro’s boys will return to the field immediately tomorrow to face Greece (start of the match at 16:30), while they will close the first phase on Monday 18 July against Israel (16:30).
Top scorer for the Azzurri is Abramo Canka with 21 points, together with 10 from Luca Vincini. Vittorio Bartoli, on the other hand, touches the double digits. The 22 points from Andre Cruz and 15 from Seixas were not enough for the Portuguese.
Start of a balanced match, with the two teams fighting point by point without being able to take off: in the middle of the quarter, in fact, the score is in perfect equality at 6-6. At that point Abramo Canka takes the chair, setting up on his own by placing five points for a Azzurro mini-break (6-11). Prey shortens with a lay-up (8-11), but is the number 9 of Italy responds immediately with the bomb on assist from Vittorio Bartoli (8-14). Still Prey tries to shorten the gap for Portugal (10-17), but Luca Vincini’s penetration is worth +9 (10-19). Canka’s triple at the edge of the siren fixes the score at 10-22 in favor of the Azzurri at the end of the first quarter.
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In the second fraction the Portuguese try to worry the boys of coach Magro, also managing to fall below the double figure of disadvantage thanks to the scoring from the arc of Rodrigues (15-24). Davide Casarin brings Italy back to +11 (15-26), with Seixas promptly replying from the painting (17-26). Wet powders for several minutes by both teams, with the defenses well lined up and several errors in the shooting phase: it is again Seixas who scores by unlocking the scoreboard after almost three minutes (19-26). The Lusitanians believe in it and go back down to -4 with the three-point game closed by Andre Cruz (22-26), but Librizzi is perfect from the arc with the triple that brings Italy back to +7 (22-29) ) when there are two minutes to the long interval. Vittorio Bartoli scores from two for the new double-digit advantage (24-34), with Cruz placing the bomb of -9 (27-35). Matteo Librizzi’s place in the area is worth 27-37 with which Italy goes to the long break ahead of ten points.
At the start of the second half, the Azzurri manage the margin accumulated in the previous two quarters, keeping their opponents at a distance (30-39). The Portuguese manage to find a 6-0 partial which allows them to mend the gap up to -4 (37-41) in the middle of the third quarter, but Italy reacts promptly thanks to the perfection of Nicola Virginio with the free throws: 3/3 and +9 in favor of the guys of coach Magro. Saioite dall’arco brings the Lusitanians back to two possessions full of disadvantage (40-46), but shortly afterwards Abramo Canka is seen again with the 2 + 1 for the new double-digit advantage of the Azzurri (41-51). Prey is perfect from the arc to the edge of the siren: triple to score and score that reads 48-57 in favor of Italy after 30 minutes of play.
In the last quarter the match script does not change: Italy manages the advantage, while Portugal tries everything to get closer and worry the Azzurri. The achievement percentages also drop, with the score remaining at 50-61 for several minutes: the two teams have spent a lot of energy in this first European match. Cruz’s two free throws are worth -9 (52-61), but Davide Casarin doesn’t fit: bomba and +12 Italy (52-64). In the final match, Filippo Gallo is perfect with the time trial stopped, scoring four consecutive free throws, allowing the Azzurri to regain oxygen and a margin on their opponents (61-69). Soares scores the triple of -5 (64-69), but Casarin also does not fail from the line (64-71). Soares is the last of his men to surrender, finding the goal of -4 from the arc but it is not enough: he ends 67-71, Italy wins on his debut against Portugal and begins in the best way the path to the European Under 20 2022 !
THE MATCH TABLE
PORTUGAL-ITALY 67-71 (10-22, 17-15, 21-20, 19-14)
Portugal: Borden 5, Cruz 22, Prey 13, Skirt 3, Soares 6, Monteiro, Rodrigues 3, Seixas 15, Silva.
Italia: Casarin 7, Gallo 4, Librizzi 7, Canka 21, Vincini 10, Bartoli 9, Berdini 2, Boglio, Castellino 2, Okeke 6, Virginio 3.
Photo: fiba.basketball
