First convincing success for the women’s national team in the preparation for EuroBasket Women 2023, which will be played between Tel Aviv and Ljubljana from 15 to 25 June. After the two defeats in Vigo against China and Spain, the Azzurre defeated Croatia 82-57 in Athens.
The best Italian scorer was Jasmine Keys with 14 points (also 9 rebounds and 3 blocks), Cecilia Zandalasini (11), Olbis AndrĆØ (11) and Martina Bestagno (10) also in double figures. Career High in the national team for Matilde Villa, with 8 points.
Tomorrow evening, again at 18.30, against Greece (live YouTube). On Monday the return to Italy, from Wednesday afternoon back to work in Pordenone, where on 11 June the Azzurre will play the last test against Germany (8.00 pm, live on SkySport) before leaving for Tel Aviv.
So Lino Lardo. āA precious test, a discreet step forward compared to what we saw last week in Vigo. It is clear that we still have to work a lot to improve the continuity and intensity spread over 40 minutes. Today we rotated all the players, even in attack apart from the first quarter, moved the ball well and found open shots. Tomorrow we will have a more demanding challenge, against a team that will play in front of the home crowd and will participate in the EuroBasket Womenā.
Lardo changes the quintet compared to Vigo choosing Verona, Pan, Zandalasini, Trucco and AndrĆØ: the start is contracted, the 8 turnovers in the first quarter allow Croatia to escape on 13-21 but then Spreafico’s 3 triples take care of it get us back to the waterline (split of 12-2, 25-23).
The Azzurre reach a double-digit lead in the second quarter, closed 28-14 for the 40-31 of the long interval (Spreafico and AndrĆØ 9). In the middle of the fourth period, the advantage expands up to +30 (45-75), with the Azzurre increasingly at ease in both halves of the pitch.
Croatia-Italy 57-82 (17-12; 14-28; 12-24; 14-18)
Croatia: LaziÄ 7 (2/5, 1/4), PeriÅ”a 17 (6/8, 1/6), MĆ¼hl 2 (1/1), BeloÅ”eviÄ 2 (1/1), Erjavec (0/5, 0/ 4), CuriÄ, TadiÄ 8 (0/8, 1/2), BoriÄ, Strize, MandiÄ 13 (3/7, 1/4), OstojiÄ (0/1), Vojtulek 8 (3/9, 0/2 ), Hajdin. All. Bralic
Italy: Keys 14 (2/3, 2/3), Villa 8 (3/3, 0/2), Romeo 2 (0/3 from 3), Bestagno 10 (3/5, 1/1), Verona* 3 (0/2, 1/4), Zandalasini* 11 (3/4, 1/1), Pan* 7 (2/4, 1/5), Trick* 2 (1/1, 0/1), Santucci 2 (1/1, 0/1), Fassina (0/4), Pastrello 3 (1/1), AndrĆØ 11 (5/11), Spreafico* 9 (3/6 from 3). All. Lard
Referees: Vassilis Tsonos, Pygi Griva, Sotiris Teftikis.
T2P: Croatia 16/45; Italy 21/39. T3P: Croatia 4/22; Italy 9/27. TL: Croatia 13/20; Italy 13/19. Rebounds: Croatia 32; Italy 45. Turnover: Croatia 17; Italy 19. Steals: Croatia 12; Italy 11. Fouls: Croatia 22; Italy 22.
What a visit tonight in Athens š
The first victory in the training course a @EuroBasketWomen arrives with Croatia; tomorrow at 18:30 the landlord challenge ā”ļø#Italbasket pic.twitter.com/tXxMdKDgpO
ā Italbasket (@Italbasket) June 3, 2023