Coach Bufacchi’s Azzurri with Down syndrome beat Portugal 20-14. Italbasket in search of the third world title
After easily winning Group B by beating Hungary (31-14) and Saudi Arabia (58-6), Italy also overcomes Portugal and reaches the final for the IBA21 World title. For the boys of Bufacchi it is the third world championship final on three events organized so far, with the possibility of signing a treble of World titles that would have resounding after the victories in 2018 and 2019.
Definitely not an easy match, always played point to point, which in the third period also saw Portugal go ahead (15-12). «We complicated a match that on paper had to go differently, – analyzes coach Bufacchi – in which we missed the impossible under the basket. A real shame because we were instead very good at creating the conditions to go shooting with great continuity. Perhaps, from this point of view, it was the best performance of this World Championship. Because of us, Portugal has always been attacked and, indeed, we did well to come out with the right mind from the time out of the third quarter ». Greco and Paulis, in fact, fix the situation and bring the Azzurri back (16-15) after the fear of overtaking. In the fourth period there is no history, still Greco and then Leocata, widen the gap and give the national team the pass for the world championship final.
«In the final we find Hungary, we have already beaten them but I fear them very much – Bufacchi confides – also because in my opinion Finland was superior. Basketball continues to offer great surprises, this is undoubted. Now we rest and then we will think about the final ».
NUMBERS – With today’s one, there are ten victories for the National FISDIR (Italian Paralympic Sports Federation of Relational Intellectuals) in the final phase of a World Cup. Ten, out of eleven games played. The tournament formula includes 4vs4 challenges, in which Italy is finding many important offensive solutions. Not only Paulis (32 points to the credit so far), but also Leocata (21), Greco and Tomao (18).
TABLES
Semifinal
ITALY-PORTUGAL 20-14
(6-4, 10-7, 16-15)
ITALIA: Vingione, Leocata 6, Cesca, Puliga, Tomao, Rebichini, Greco 4, Paulis 10
Coach: Giuliano Bufacchi
Assistants: D’Erasmo-Dessì
GROUP B – Day 2
SAUDI ARABIA-ITALY 6-58
(0-20, 0-34, 23-13)
ITALY: Vingione 6, Leocata 8, Cesca 2, Puliga 2, Tomao 18, Rebichini 8, Greco 12, Paulis 2
Coach: Giuliano Bufacchi
Assistants: D’Erasmo-Dessì
GROUP B – Day 1
ITALY-HUNGARY 31-14
(9-5, 13-11, 23-13)
ITALIA: Vingione, Leocata 7, Cesca, Puliga, Tomao, Rebichini 2, Greco 2, Paulis 20
Coach: Giuliano Bufacchi
Assistants: D’Erasmo-Dessì
Race program
30/9 Italy-Hungary 31-14
1/10 Saudi Arabia-Italy 6-58
1/10 Semi-final Italy-Portugal 20-16
2/10 Final Italy-Hungary (h.13: 00)
