At the FIBA U16 EuroBasket tournament in Oradea, the Italy under-16 national basketball team secured their first victory of the competition by defeating Israel 86-75, bouncing back from a four-game losing streak and steering clear of immediate danger in the battle to remain in Division A. Diego Ilardi led the Azzurri offense with 20 points, anchoring a dramatic turnaround after a sluggish start left the squad trailing by 14 points in the second period.
The win alters the trajectory of Italy’s tournament campaign. Had the team fallen to Israel, they would have faced the daunting prospect of needing consecutive victories in the final two days of competition to avoid relegation to Division B. Instead, coach Alberto Buffo’s squad earned a crucial cushion ahead of the tournament’s final rest day on August 13.
Things looked grim early on for the Azzurri, who started the match with what reporting characterized as a hand on the handbrake. Israel capitalized on the stagnant Italian offense, building a 44-30 advantage during the second quarter. Facing a potential blowout, Italy unlocked their offensive rhythm by attacking the paint through aggressive player penetration before establishing the perimeter shot as a reliable weapon.
Ilardi and Farid Compaore caught fire from beyond the arc, orchestrating a massive swing that erased the deficit and pushed the Azzurri ahead by 11 points. When the final buzzer sounded, the 86-75 scoreline (16-21, 20-25, 24-11, 26-18) sealed the hard-fought comeback.
Standout Performers and Box Score Contributions
Ilardi set the pace for Italy with his game-high 20 points, shooting efficiently across the floor with six baskets from inside the arc and two from three-point range. Several other Italian players reached double figures to support the offensive surge. Aaron Mathis contributed 13 points, Farid Compaore added 11 points—including vital triples during the second-half comeback—and Mattia Sguazzin chipped in 10 points.
Additional contributions came from Conti with 8 points, while Ajayi and Okadoh added 6 points apiece. Pagliani scored 5 points, Cucco finished with 4, Pasquazi recorded 2, and Gasparoni added 1 point.
On the opposing side, Israel was paced by Ziv, who matched Ilardi’s game-high output with 20 points, bolstered by six conversions from downtown. Sela added 17 points, Kedem scored 14, and Lachmanovich finished with 10 points in the losing effort.
Tournament Context and Next Opponent
Following the rest day on August 13, Italy will return to the court on August 14 for the 9th-12th place classification semifinals. The Azzurri will face Turkey, guided by coach Mustafa Altincizme.
The fixture against Turkey marks the third meeting between the two national programs this summer. The teams previously squared off in a pre-tournament friendly in Bassano del Grappa—where Turkey won 70-65—and later met during the third day of Group B play in the EuroBasket group stage, a contest Turkey also claimed 77-69.
Fans looking to follow the classification matches can stream the action live via the official FIBA YouTube channel, where all tournament fixtures are broadcast.
