Basketball, World Cup qualifiers: Netherlands-Italy 81-92, Fontecchio 22 points

From our correspondent Andrea Tosi

4th July
– ALMERE (OLA)

Italy wins as Poz wanted and owed on the field of Almere where Holland does everything to give nothing to the Azzurri. A success (81-92) that pushes Italy to the top of its group and qualifies with 6 points in the next decisive phase to go to the 2023 World Cup. Now we have to wait for the positions of the three qualified in the twin group, namely Spain, Georgia and Ukraine to get to know the two opponents of the August window.

Triple

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The start is entirely from Fontecchio which produces, with two triples, all the blue 8-0. In the quintet there are all the “foreigners” of the coach Poz who also relies on his ex Sassari jewels, the play Spissu and the strong forward Polonara. The Netherlands play light and fast, but miss a lot inside the area. Thus Italy can always stay ahead. Tonut, a new Milanese, steals and runs. Then the other championships with Olimpia arrive: Biligha’s defense and rebounds keep the long opponents at a distance, Datome again captain finds a somewhat lucky triple, then Ricci also does the same. The game thrives on mini breaks, the hosts turn on their trepuntisti: Franke, after a bad start, takes the scene after the fires of De Vries and De Jong. But no one turns off the Fontecchio one that pushes the +13 in the second quarter (17-30) with 3/3 from long distance. With him on the pitch, Italy is even more solid behind. In a very soft climate, everyone takes a triple. Twice the Netherlands comes almost in contact, with Franke’s -5, but it is always Spissu with his left-handed slings to keep the advantage on the three possessions. At the break it is 43-54 with Fontecchio at 17 and with percentages from All Star Game: 75% from 2 and 47% from 3 for the blues; 50% and 57% for the orange lions, as they call them here, who shoot as much and better from three. In the second half, Italy seems to definitely get their hands on the game: Datome cleverly finds +16 but the Netherlands is still back riding the wave of his Franke tornado that tortures Pajola. Two precious baskets from the excellent Biligha give oxygen to the Poz attack but at the third siren the Netherlands, very charged, is under the double figure of disadvantage: 64-72. All to be redone in the last quarter but the Fontecchio-Spissu-Polonara trio is back strong, putting the first success of the Pozzecco era in the safe. For the coach, an exam passed with a 92-point test. The ice is broken. So good.

Holland: Franke 30, De Jong 12, O. Schaftenaar 9

Italy: Fontecchio 22, Polonara 15, Spissu 15, Datome 11, Biligha 10