Basketball world qualifiers, Iceland-Italy 107-105 after two extra time

Flop Italy. In the third qualifying match for the 2023 World Cup, the blue team falls (107-105) after two extra time in Iceland, suffering a historic and very dangerous knockout in view of the passage to the second round. After 50 ‘the totem Hlinanson (14/16 shooting, 21 rebounds) gives the success to the National Geyser Sound. The return of Della Valle, the best player in the league, and the return of Tonut from Covid are not enough to give the coach Sacchetti’s system security in an away match that has become a trap.

Italy starts well from the blocks with a +6 but slowly Iceland begins to grind the game and points. The totem is Hlinanson, gregarione of the Spanish league and leader in his national team, who always scores from below (5/5), tears rebounds and loosens blocks from all the blues. In the Icelandic choir there is the hand of the shooters Hermansson and Fridriksson who open the blue defense box. Then even the former fortitude Gudmundsson invents a couple of baskets. Italy pulls very badly, Mannion finds two flashes but stops there, the outsiders struggle to find the ring. At the break Iceland is +11 without fatigue, the blues are at 23% in attack (11/41).

At the start of the second half, Tonut showed up, but Iceland remained on track, extending to +14. Meanwhile, Hlinason continues to rage even with dunks, touching the double digits in points and rebounds. Vitali with two triples and a good Biligha provide the return on -3 but when he returns from a pass on the bench the unstoppable Hlinason returns at night. Italy, however, does not give up, yet Vitale and a finally convincing Mannion provoke parity. The last possession of the extra time is of Tonut who shoots to win on the siren but his conclusion is short. In the double extension Biligha with defense and some numbers in attack deceives Italy that overtakes but Hlinason and the shooters Fridriksson and Hermansson put the decisive baskets.

Iceland: Hlinason 34, Fridriksson 25, Hermansson 23
Italy: Mannion 23, Vitali 22, Tonut 18