MILANO – A combative Italia you have to surrender to the excessive power of Giannis Antetokounmpo: it is in fact the Greece to win the match of the second day of the group stage of Eurobasket 2022 at the Mediolanum Forum. The star of the Milwaukee Bucks for the Azzurri defense is unmatchable, after a great recovery in the quarter final, 85-81 to the Hellenic national team after winning the first match against Estonia. 26 points are not enough for Pozzecco’s team Fontecchio and the 14 points of Polonara: the two times Mvp of the Nba e Dorsey they put 25 and 23 on the scoresheet and gave Itoudis the second success in the tournament after the one against Croatia. The next match for the Azzurri is the match againstUkraine scheduled for September 5th at 9pm.
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Italy goes ko under the blows of Antetokounmpo: Greece wins 85-81
Giannis Antetokounmpo e Dorsey they immediately push Greece forward, but Polonara from three and two excellent plays of Melli (one in attack, one in defense on the Milwaukee Bucks ace) allow Italy to stay in the game. Spissu precise to the free, Fontecchio stoppa Thanasis Antetokounmpo and blows up the Forum. Giannis, however, also finds a three-man wildcard, not exactly the house specialty, and starts the draw, with Greece moving to 16-7. Two triples by Mannion and Datome, however, still keep the Azzurri on the waterline, with the first quarter ending 23-17 for the Hellenes. Ricci immediately shortens from three at the start of the second period, but Sloukas he replies with the same coin and gives confidence to Itoudis’ team who extends to +12 in an amen. Pozzecco relies on the plays of Polonara, already 12 points in the first half, and manages to go to rest for a long time still in contact: the scoreboard says -7 Italy at 47-40. A balanced start to the third quarter, with the teams responding blow for blow, but Dorsey’s baskets still bring Greece up +14 at half time. Fontecchio, however, is the last to surrender and places five points in a row, again bringing Italy to -8 at 59-51. Polonara still from the long gives the -5, but agravanis pushes the Azzurri back again with two great plays: Greece faces the last quarter with an advantage of 14 on 71-57 and remains in a double-digit advantage up to 3 ‘from the end. In the final, however, Italy finds important baskets with Fontecchio and Polonara, taking up to -4 on 81-77. It’s a forced but winning triple of Dorsey to bring Itoudis back to + 7, but still Fontecchio with two games in a row he gives the new -3 to Pozzecco. The equal ball is in the hands of Tonut, who, however, misses by three: it ends 85-81 after Dorsey’s free final.
Scoreboards
Italia: Spissu 5, Fontecchio 26, Polonara 14, Melli 8, Biligha 0, Datome 6, Pajola 0, Mannion 6, Tessitori, Ricci 3, Baldasso 0, Tonut 13.
Greece: G. Antetokounmpo 25, T. Antetokounmpo 2, Agravanis 13, Larentzakis 3, Papagiannis 0, Papapetrou 0, Sloukas 7, Calathes 6, Dorsey 23, Lountsis 0, K. Antetokounmpo 0, Papanikolau 6.
