In a pre-FIBA World Cup friendly match held in preparation for the tournament scheduled from August 25 to September 10, Italy managed to overcome Brazil with a final score of 93:87.
The match’s outcome didn’t appear promising after the initial 10 minutes of play. Similar to their recent friendly against Serbia, Italy started off the game on a rocky note.
Consequently, the Brazilian squad led with a substantial 27:14 advantage at the end of the first quarter. However, Italy, showing resilience, fought back and narrowed the gap to just six points by halftime.
Another win for Italy ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, dragged by Simone Fontecchio with 26 points against Brazil. The friendly game path:
— Cesare Milanti (@cesaremilanti) August 20, 2023
โ 90-89 vs Turkey ๐น๐ท
โ 79-61 vs China ๐จ๐ณ
โ 89-88 vs Serbia ๐ท๐ธ
โ 74-70 vs Greece ๐ฌ๐ท
โ 98-65 vs Puerto Rico ๐ต๐ท
โ 93-87 vs Brazil ๐ง๐ท pic.twitter.com/UkaveL8xZV
Gianmarco Pozzecco’s team didn’t stop there. They continued their exceptional offensive performance into the third quarter, eventually gaining control of the game.
The match transitioned into a tense finale, marked by a few contentious decisions. In the final minute, Raul Neto received two technical fouls, leading to his ejection from the game. Bruno Caboclo and Vitor Benite also faced foul trouble and exited the game early due to five personal fouls each.
Ultimately, Simone Fontecchio’s three-pointer for Italy sealed the deal with a six-point lead, making a comeback for Brazil virtually impossible.
Fontecchio also emerged as Italy’s top scorer, contributing 26 points, while Stefano Tonut added 16. On the Brazilian side, Lucas Dias stood out with 18 points. Yago dos Santos, recently recruited by Crvena Zvezda, recorded 12 points but managed only two assists, contrary to his usual playstyle.
Before the World Cup, Italy is set to face New Zealand, while Brazil will have their final test against Serbia, promising an exciting match-up for basketball enthusiasts.