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BasketballAnthony Polite makes an impression with Switzerland
The Ticino winger celebrated his first senior selection with 22 points and a victory in Austria with the Swiss team (65-75) in the prequalifications for Euro 2025.
He finally came. Expected for many months with Switzerland coach Ilias Papatheodorou, Anthony Polite played his first minutes with the A team on Sunday. And the former Florida State University player, who launched his professional career in France this season after not being selected for the NBA draft, celebrated his baptism of fire with a convincing victory, 75-65, in Austria.
Absent, Thursday, during the setback in Poland because not released by his ASVEL club – that of Tony Parker – who was playing a Euroleague meeting, the 25-year-old and 198 cm Ticino winger was the big man of the meeting at the Raiffeisen Sportpark in Graz, with 22 points (7/13 shooting), 5 rebounds, 20 rating and a differential of +14. Above all, he showed undeniable creative qualities in the low post and proved that he also knew how to play in isolation when the need arose for his team.
Before the Polite show at the start of the fourth quarter, it was Noah Burrell who burst onto the screen. The back of Vitré (3e French division) was skilful before finding himself on the bench with his three faults. But the incumbent, Roberto Kovac, watched like milk on fire by the Austrian defense at the start of the game, definitively repelled the opposing assaults with a long-range shot. We will also remember the good aggressiveness towards the basket of Selim Fofana, who made people forget the absence of Jonathan Kazadi.
After Poland’s victory in Croatia (79-87) on Sunday, Switzerland is 3e of group E of the pre-qualifications for Euro 2025, with one victory less (2-2 against 3-1) than the leaders. As a reminder, only the first of the pool is guaranteed to play in the playoffs. In February, the selection of Papatheodorou will receive Croatia (23rd) and Poland (26th), which will move a priori without their NBA players.
