The mini cycle of friendlies in preparation for the Pre-Olympic Tournament ends with two victories in two games but the Madrid blitz certainly has an immense specific weight. A victory, the one away against Spain (84-87 after overtime), made up of character, conviction, teamwork and awareness of one’s own means and limits. A beautiful and prestigious victory that repeats Caceres’ away success in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup.
The Azzurri will return to Italy this evening and then leave for Miami tomorrow morning from Fiumicino. The transfer to San Juan is scheduled for Saturday 29 June. Pre-Olympic debut on 2 July against Bahrain (11.30pm Italian time, DAZN, Sky Sport and Now).
Best Azzurri scorer of the evening Danilo Gallinari with 16 points. Marco Spissu (14) and Stefano Tonut (12) also scored in double figures.
Thus the CT Gianmarco Pozzecco: “We are very happy. We played a solid match against a very important team and on a complicated pitch. I don’t know what will happen now in Puerto Rico but these guys play with passion and above all with a bond for the Maglia Azzurra which is touching”.
Marco Spissu14 points: “It was a friendly match but it felt like a final. 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”.
The scoreboard
Spain-Italy 84-87 d1ts (10-14, 23-14, 21-22, 19-23, 11-14)
Spain: Pradilla 2 (1/2), Fernandez 9 (1/1, 2/2), Lopez-Arostegui* (0/2 three-pointers), Aldama* 11 (2/2, 2/5), Brizuela 8 (1 /2, 1/6), Diaz (0/3 from three), Hernangomez W.* 23 (9/16), Garuba 2 (1/3), Abrines* 11 (3/3 from three), Llull 8 ( 1/4, 1/6), Nunez* 3 (0/1, 1/1), Hernangomez J. 7 (1/5, 1/3), Parra, De Larrea. All: Scariolo
Italy: Spissu* 14 (4/8 from three), Mannion 8 (3/5, 0/3), Abass (0/3 from three), Tonut* 12 (3/5, 2/4), Gallinari 16 (2 /4, 2/4), Melli* 8 (1/5, 2/4), Ricci 4 (2/5, 0/2), Bortolani ne, Caruso (0/1), Polonara* 8 (2/4 , 1/5), Pajola 8 (2/3), Petrucelli* 9 (3/3, 1/3). All: Well
Two-pointers Spa 17/36, Ita 18/35; Three-pointers Spa 11/31, Ita 12/36; Free throws Spa 17/19, Ita 15/17. Rebounds Spa 37 (Garuba 6), Ita 41 (Polonara 7). Assists Spa 22 (Nunez 7), Ita 19 (Spissu 6).
Referees: Fernando Calatrava, Xavier Torres, Alfonso Olivares
