Lithuania-Italy 81-82, Procida and Mannion top

The Italy of basketball has awakened. The national team plays a strong second half in the Lithuanian fort of Klaipeda, erases the controversy and defeat of the debut against Iceland and gives itself the first victory of the Banchi era. The final score 82-81 bears the signature of Nico Mannion, his layup which penetrates the opponent’s defense 7” from the end, a decisive basket as much as the defense of John Petrucelli who at the siren cancels out the opponents’ number 1 threat, Arnas Velicka, capable of scoring a triple a few seconds earlier for the momentary 81-80 in favor of Lithuania. The best on the pitch, however, is Procida, he scores 18 of the 24 total points in the 4th quarter, including 3 consecutive triples and 2 steals with flashes of basketball worthy of a champion.

blue recovery

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Down 39-34 at halftime, with Tonut (11 points in the first 20′ and 5/6 shooting) good at putting his teammates on his shoulders at the worst moment (Lithuania’s maximum lead was 31-21 after 16′), Italy returns to the parquet and shows off a super defense that yields 10 recoveries between the 3rd and 4th quarters. Lithuania, however, doesn’t joke, they dominate the rebounds in attack, they are effective in extra possessions and they enjoy Sargiunas: the hero who gave his team the victory against Great Britain by scoring 3 triples in the final 9” scores 18 points against Italy, shooting 6/9 from the field and 3/4 from the arc. Everything is decided like this in the last 10′, at 54 all. Procida is unstoppable, scores repeatedly from the arc and beyond. Italy extends, Lithuania reacts as a team and responds triple after triple but the final sees the Azzurri prevail. And Luca Banchi can thus celebrate his first victory as Azzurri coach.

Lithuania: Sargiunas 18, Blazevic 14, three players at 12

Italy: Procida 24, Tonut 16, Mannion 15.