06/25/2024 9.34pm
Italbasket closes the commitments ahead of the San Juan Pre-Olympic with a victory. After extra time, Italy beats Spain 84-87 in Madrid. Marco Spissu was also the protagonist this time, and he stepped up his game in a second half in which the Azzurri held on to rebound and above all did better in attack than in the first 20 minutes: 14 points for the former Dinamo Sassari, accompanied by 6 assists, with a fundamental assumption of responsibility in hot moments. Now, however, the most important period begins for the Sassari native and the rest of the team led by Gianmarco Pozzecco, that of searching for a place in Paris.
The race
Spissu is confirmed in the starting lineup. Italy starts off strong, with the idea of moving the ball and finding open shots. Melli pushes the Azzurri to 10-1, Spain is unable to enter the match thanks to the positive work on their Italbasket side. The Sardinian playmaker’s match becomes complicated, however, with the second foul committed in the middle of the period, the rotations begin and the Iberians mend up to -4 at the end of the first period at 10-14. The sanctions situation weighs on the Sassari native who returns halfway through a second quarter in which, after a somewhat sluggish defensive start, Italy with the top quintet gets back ahead until 18-24 thanks to the good moment of Pajola and Gallinari . Spain had an impact with a 6-0 run. Spissu takes the first shot of the evening with one remaining in the first half, signaling the work done on the perimeter against the Sassari number 0 who must further contain himself in defense to avoid running into the third whistle. At the end of the period Spain had more gas and with Abrines’ trip from the line they fixed the result at 33-28 which marked the end of the second quarter.
In the second half Spissu’s face changes. First the triple with which he immediately opened the score for the Azzurri, then the assist for Petruccelli and the second bomb of the evening taken without too many thoughts which made it 42-39. The duel with Nunez increases in intensity and a contact between the former Dinamo player and the young playmaker in his last year in Ulm leads to several protests from Scariolo and an instant review which however rewards the native born in ’95. Less than 5′ from the last mini-interval the relay with Pajola is repeated, but this time Italy is unable to change pace in defense and Spain tries to escape, reaching +9 at 54-45 more than 1′ from the end of the period. Polonara and Mannion put a stop to the Iberians and brought the result to 54-50 at the sound of the third siren. The partial remains open, with Polonara’s triple worth -1 at 58-57. Spissu also returns to the pitch, having space on the perimeter to overtake but makes a mistake, while Fernandez on the other hand is unforgiving. However, the Sassari native has time to make up for it with interest. Because Gallinari and Tonut keep the Azzurri in contact, then a recovery in collaboration with Melli and the following triple in transition by the Sardinian playmaker is worth the 70 equal with 1 minute from the end. On the next possession comes the lucid reading and the assist for Tonut who doesn’t miss the triple from the corner for the lead. Llull, however, strikes with a spell at 73-73 and so extra time is needed to decide the winner. The Sassari native doesn’t stop raising his game, Gallinari opens the quarter, but the new playmaker from Zaragoza takes the stage first with a triple and then with a steal followed by an assist for Tonut for +6 at 74-80 . Two triples from Aldama, however, call everything into question. In the final, tiredness was also felt on Spissu who lost the ball after Hernangomez’s free throws, giving Spain one last chance to overcome the Azzurri. However, Italy manages to defend positively and Gallinari’s free throws bring the final result to 84-87. “It was a friendly match but it felt like a final – Spissu’s post-match statements on the official FIP channels. We wanted at all costs to bring it home against a very tough team. A great victory in an incredible arena and crazy support. I like to take responsibility and I did it tonight too. It went well and now we’re thinking about the Pre-Olympic with confidence.”
Matteo Cardia
