Milan, 29 November 2021 – Italbasket remedies the knockout suffered a few days ago against Russia and, in front of a blue-tinted Assago Forum, folds 75-73 l’Netherlands in the second and last engagement of the November window of qualifiers for the 2023 Basketball World Cup. A suffered success, the one brought home by the Azzurri who repeatedly tried to place the decisive draw up to +13 during the match, but they always had to deal with a never tame and capable Holland, after starting the fourth quarter at -10, to put his head ahead with 3 ‘from the end with van der Vuurst’s basket. However, Hammnik’s efforts (better than his with 19 points) were not enough because Italy had a jolt of pride and has definitively settled things with the points and plays of Nicola Akele (blue top scorer with 18 points) e Stefano Tonut, author of 13 points as well as Amedeo Tessitori.
It matches
Leaning its weight on the trio made up of Pajola, Akele and Tessitori, Italy started with the fourth engaged and placed a 9-0 which in a few minutes became 16-7. However, Buscaglia’s timeouts gave the Dutch house a shock: Frank and Hammnik’s jabs at the end reduced the “orange” disadvantage to only four lengths at the sound of the first siren (22-18). At the resumption of the game, Italbasket managed to regain pace in attack and, dragged by Akele, gave another acceleration pushing the bar of maximum advantage up to +13 sealed on the line of charity by Diouf (42-29). A blow that was not enough to extinguish the enthusiasm of the guests who with an 8-0 returned to -5 before undergoing another blue mini-extension embellished by the triple of +10 blue signed by Vitali (47-37).
After the break, however, the Italian attack got bogged down in quicksand, lending its side to the Netherlands who managed to get back to -4. To repel the assaults of Buscaglia’s men we had to think of the usual Akele, Tonut and Tessitori who put their brand on the Italian +10 with 10 ‘from the end (60-50). With their backs to the wall, the Netherlands has rolled up their sleeves for the umpteenth time and relying on the tarantolato Schaftenaar started a comeback that found its climax in the basket of the external +2 (67-69) sent to target by van der Vuurst just under 3 ‘from the end. All to be redone, in short, for Italy which still managed to remove the chestnuts from the fire thanks to a triple from Tonut and a basket from Akele who gave a decisive contribution as did Vitali in the line in the final seconds.
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