The dream breaks into the final body body
(Giuseppe Sciascia) The female Italbasket stops at a triple with a golden dream. Andrea Capobianco’s national team yields 64-66 to Belgium in the semifinal of the European Championships in Athens. After four sprint wins starting from disadvantaged, the blue sees in the last 26 seconds the possibility of surprising the champions in office, and playing for gold 30 years after the final lost in 1995 in Brno. This time the tears are not of joy, but of frustration For not having crowned a fantastic comeback all defense and Triple, which had brought Italy from 43-57 of the last interval to 64-62 of the final minute. Immediate contrasting of Belgium at least 17 “signed by a triple from the corner of Antonia Delaere, the first of the tournament after 0/10 of the four previous races. And on the blue replica the shot from the arch built for Costanza Verona was rejected by the iron.
“But these girls deserve only applause for what they have been able to do – the words of the coach Andrea Capobianco at the end of the race -. We put a battleship like Belgium in difficulty: a shame for the result, but they were really fantastic “. There is no regret in the words of the blue coach, underlining the ability to have fought on par against a more experienced and talented opponent. And having earned an opportunity to subvert the adverse prediction, thanks to the fourth stellar period of Martina Fassina (11 points including the overtaking to plus 2 in the last minute) to support the Zandalasini and Cubaj stars (13 each). “Pride prevails for having arrived here after from the first game we always started defeated in the predictions – says Capobianco -. Losing so leaves the bitterness in the mouth, but we must be satisfied with how girls wear this shirt ».
And the same pride will have to animate the blue in tomorrow’s final (4.30 pm) against France: We play a bronze that Italdonne has not conquered since 1974. “We will have to be good at recharging the batteries after a defeat lasts to digest and go to get the medal – says the Francesca Pan wing – how? According to, playing one for the other and for Italy as we have done so far “.
Meanwhile, Italian basketball smiles for two of its protagonists who make honor abroad. Blue Sailou Niang22 year old wing of Trento who will play at Virtus Bologna next year, was chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers at number 58 of the NBA Draft. SERGIO SCARIOLO Instead, it is very close to the Real Madrid bench: the Brescia coach, an opponent of Italbasket with his Spain at the 2025 European Championships, will return to the helm of a club after the exemption of Virtus Bologna in September 2023.
