Basketball and Italy beat Lithuania: World Cup is now at your fingertips

BRESCIA – Italy's basketball is just a step away from returning to the world and has meanwhile demolished a 14-year-old taboo overtaking Lithuania in Brescia, this has not happened since the semifinals of Italy. Athens 2004. 70-65 of PalaLeonessa does not yet give certainty to Azzurri to be in China in 2019, it will take for that to win another victory between Sunday in Poland and the last double commitment of February with Lithuania and Hungary. But in the meantime, the Lithuanian scalp is one of the most valuable and has served a tough and intense match, with flashes of big basketball and a sumptuous Awudu Abbad, 13 points off the bench, 7 at the moment the most delicate of the second quarter. The polonara is also good (11 points and 7 rebounds). The Kalnietis 15 points are not enough for the Lithuanians.

First Quarter – Sacchetti starts with Luca Vitali, Aradori, Tonut, Polonara and Burns. Dances opened by Aradori after a minute without baskets. Hard to shoot for the Azzurri, then we think of Polonara 3. The second fault of Burns arrives too early, between Biligha. Gentile replaces Aradori 3 minutes from the end of the fourth quarter and undergoes a defensive interception. Kalnietis from 3 for the Lithuanian 16-15 years after a Filloy air balloon. Giampaolo Ricci, who has just entered the national team at 27, has scored three on his first shot, but Lithuania will play in front of the 24-20 mermaid. Only 7/20 for the Azzurri against 10/13 for the Baltic.

Second quarter – We remain point by point, with the pair of "Spaniards" Michele Vitali-Gentile to give energy, Filloy to take the greatest responsibility in the shooting. There is also a lot of Brescia on the pitch: Luca Vitali, Abbad and Sacchetti. New Lithuanian extension with Kalnietis (31-26), hampered by a triple fundamental of Luca Vitali and a basket under under Abbad, which then marks the distance for the first Italian advantage (34-31) and always from below (36-31 , seven consecutive points for the number 23). Line of Aradori sirens for maximum rest benefit: 42-35.

Third quarter – Immediately Kalnietis and Burns who answers (44-37). Kalnietis still has 3 reports under Lithuania. Sweet increase in length (51-49). Filloy for the new pair on the 53 at the end of the period. A big effort on the part of Italy to shoot, at only 38% of the field, barely 5 times in triple over 18 attempts

Fourth quarter – Abbad for a new Italian extension (55-53) at the opening of the last fraction. Biligha for +4 and later, spectacular stop that improves the audience of Brescia. Gender still in progress (59-53). A technician whistled to Maciulis sends a telescope to Aradori. Seibutis and Kalinietis bring Lithuania back to -2 before the triple, fundamental Polonara (63-58 to -2 "30"). Seibutis missed the triple of the draw, not bad Sacchetti of 6.75, is 66-60 to 32 "of the end. Kalnietis returns to -3 the Baltic 4 "from the end, but it is Abbad who signs the victory from the line.

Very satisfied at the end of the match, the CT Meo Sacchetti: "Tonight, everyone has contributed to the cause and that makes me really proud of my team.We suffered the beginning of the match, but we then handed Aggressive play, the intensity has made the difference, now let's go to Poland with that spirit, if that's enough, I do not know, but we'll try anyway. this good performance ".

Group J ranking: Lithuania 8/1, Italy 7/2, Poland 5/4, Croatia 4/5, Hungary 4/5, Netherlands 3/6. Lithuania has already qualified for the 2019 China World Cup.
Sunday: Poland-Italy, Lithuania-Croatia, Hungary-Holland. 22 February: Holland-Lithuania, Croatia-Poland, Italy-Hungary. February 25: Lithuania-Italy, Poland-Holland, Hungary-Croatia.

Italy-Lithuania 70-65 (20-24, 22-11, 11-18, 17-12)
Italy: L. Vitali * 7 (0/1, 2/4), Tonut * 2 (1/3), Aradori * 8 (3/9, 0/4), Polonara * 11 (2/8, 2/3), Burns * 4 (2/5), Biligha 6 (2/4), Filloy 4 (1/1, 0/4), Gentile 6 (3/5, 0/3), Ricci 3 (0/1, 1 / 1), M. Vitali 3 (1/3, 0/1), Abbad 13 (4/6, 1/3), B. Bags 3 (1/1). All R. Sacchetti

Lithuania: Bendžius * 5 (0/1, 1/3), Echodas * 6 (2/4), Kalnietis * 15 (3/4, 3/4), Ma? Iulis * 10 (5/9, 0/4), Seibutis * 9 (3/4, 1/3), Juškevi? Ius 2 (1/2, 0/1), Giedraitis 6 (0/1, 2/6), Girdži? Nas 3 (1/1 of three), Butkevi? Ius 2 (1/1), Želionis 4 (2/3), Geben 3 (1/2), Masiulis ne. All, Adomaitis.

Two throws Ita 19/46, 18/31 lit. Spear of three Ita 7/25, 8/22 Bed; Free throws Ita 11/16, Bed 5/8. Ita 40 (Aradori and Polonara 7) bounces, 36 Liters (Ma? Iulis 10); Assist Ita 17 (L. Vitali 8), bed 16 (Kalnietis 6).
spectators: 5000
Technical foul at Maciulis at 34th
Referees: Anastopoulos (Gre), Vojinovic (Mne), Bittner (Ger)