Italy is in the final at the Under 16 European basketball championship in Skojpe, clearly beating age-matched France 77-63, a feat that had not been achieved for 32 years, since 1991; decisive proof of Michael Perez, who towers under the bridge with 25 points and 15 rebounds (6 offensive) with a majestic 10/13 shooting; his sidekick today is Matthew Accorsi15 points and a devastating 5/6 from 6.75, but what makes the difference is the defense, forcing the transalpines to poor percentages, especially from the arc with 0/13 overall.
The first quarter is balanced, we proceed paired up to the sixth minute when a triple from Lonati and a fadeaway from Maikcol Perez they allow the first breakout attempt on 17-14. However, the transalpines get back on track with free throws from Soliman and Yimga, two points from Naji put the exclamation point on a 6-0 minibreak that closes the first set on 18-20.
However, the transalpines start shooting from the arc, thanks also to the blue defense which puts it in high gear, five points from Garavaglia allow Italy to take off with a space break of 15-3 in six minutes with the blues who can thus control the match. But France manages to respond by relying on its centimetres, and centimeter after centimetre, also allowing themselves to have the overtaking shot on the siren with Michee, it goes to halftime on 37-35 for the blues.
But in the third quarter the Azzurri continue with their team effort, closing all the doors to their opponents who score with a dropper and continue to have enormous problems from 6.75, where a single basket does not arrive. Perez makes a foursome together with Mathis, Accorsi is a sentence from the arc and Mangone’s team extends reaching even +12 in the 28th minute, to plug the wound a bit is a basket by Yimga and free throws by Boulefaa for The 53-44 at the last pit stop.
But the decisive draw comes at the halfway point of the last partial: two more triples by Accorsi following the basket by Perez, floater by Granai and Italia who flies comfortably on 68-50, which closes the challenge. The rest is pure academia, with the Azzurrini now awaiting the winner of tonight’s match between Spain and Lithuania.
THE MATCH TABLE
ITALY – FRANCE 77-63 (18-20, 37-35, 53-44)
Italia: Ceccato, Perez 25, Mathis 14, Nistrio 3, Hassan ne, Granai 6, Carnevale, Abreu 2, Accorsi 15, Bandirali ne, Lonati 5, Garavaglia 7
France: Allard 5, Atamna 2, Facorat2, Koukakou-Heugue 2, Michee 9, Boulefaa 3, Guedegbe 2, Lemoine 2, Naji 8, Soliman 4, Trefle 12, Yimga 13,
Photo: FIP
2023-08-12 18:30:31
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