Doncic lights up the 89-85 which is worth seventh place. The whole stadium stands for Gigi who retires
Victory would have been the best way to say goodbye to Gigi Datome, who is now officially a former player. Instead, Italy also had to surrender to Slovenia (89-85), closing these World Cups with an eighth place which still leaves them with some regrets. The national team was rather unlucky in the final moments of the match, as they managed to get it back on its feet with a great comeback in the last quarter. Spissu did very well, the best of the Azzurri with 22 points and an important 6/11 from beyond the arc; the top scorer of the evening in Manila is obviously Luka Doncic: 29 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists to please.
The match
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Pozzecco does not distance himself from his idea of a quintet and starts with Fontecchio, Melli, Polonara, Spissu and Tonut; Datome, therefore, starts from the bench. The initial stages of the match saw the Slovenians approach very softly, especially in rebounding. This allows the Azzurri to produce a decent break, but when Doncic then decides to play there is no countermeasure valid enough to limit him. His exploits, especially as an assist-man, keep Slovenia close: the first quarter ends 18-15 for Italy. Dragic is the protagonist of a partial that convinces Pozzecco to call a timeout, from which the national team emerges well. The baskets in sequence by Tonut, Spissu and Procida are worth +5 (31-26), but the problem still remains Doncic who has total control of the match. Pajola’s triple makes it 41-42 with which we go to the break.
The recovery
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The third quarter begins like the previous one: Slovenia’s score, this time 7-0, and a timeout for the Italian bench. The star of the Dallas Mavericks proves to be a blessing and a curse: he scores a triple then gets a technical for protests. Dragic confirms himself as a resource, the long-range baskets of Doncic and Spissu close the period in pyrotechnic fashion at 60-70. The Azzurri are very good at taking advantage of their opponents’ empty pass, who score three points in the first 5′ of the fourth quarter; Fontecchio, the counterattacks promoted and concluded by Melli and the contribution of Spagnolo bring the match to a draw at 76-76. With more than three minutes on the clock, Melli embraces Doncic for a voluntary foul: it is the moment of the more than deserved standing ovation for a player like Gigi Datome, who receives the affectionate greeting of his teammates and the emotional greeting of the Mall of Asia Arena, all in feet for him. Back on the pitch Spissu gets Slovenia back on track, Ricci even scores the overtaking at 85-83. Cebasek’s triple starts a bad ending for Italy: Fontecchio first commits a foul in attack and then receives badly on the last useful possession, for the final 85-89.
Italy: Spissu 22, Fontecchio 16, Polonara 13.
Slovenia: Doncic 29, Tobey 12, Zoran Dragic 10.
September 9th – 1.09pm
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