Great match for the Azzurri in a thriller finale. Shengelia fails to pocket the advantage basket and thus the Pozzecco boys’ party explodes
Italy flies to the World Cup for the second time in a row. The Azzurri beat Georgia 85-84 in a thrilling final in Tbilisi and will thus be protagonists, next year, of the championship tournament scheduled in the triple venue of Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Georgia-Italy 84-85
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We go to the Asian World Cup. Italy snatches the pass from the first match-ball with a heart and soul match and a run of 16 triples on target with 8 different players (out of 40 attempts, if not a record we are almost there) of which 4 by Marco Spissu, two in the warm finale when the Azzurri with an 8-0 overturn the overtaking of Georgia, led by Shengelia, the tsar of Virtus Bologna. In the wake of Spissu, mvp by acclamation with even 8 assists and 6 rebounds, the two centres, excellent and precise Tessitori (5/5 in action) and Biligha (4/6, 3 steals and 2 blocks). Also important are the triples by Vitali, Ricci and that by Severini which stops the offensive haemorrhage. And behind it is Pajola’s space shield, 5 steals and 4 assists. Italy is also fighting for Mannion, who was sent off at the beginning of the second quarter for technical fouls (flopping, an avoidable simulation of a breakthrough) and unsportsmanlike. The trench holds up well between overtaking and counter-overtaking. Italy immediately ahead in the first quarter when Ricci denies the game in the low post to the specialist Shengelia. The duel between the Shermadini (ex Cantù) and Tessitori centers immediately sparked, exchanging baskets in the heart of the area. The first blue acceleration comes with two triples from Vitali. At 10′ it is 19-24. In the second quarter Mannion takes out, but Italy doesn’t get upset and produces +8 with Tessitori. Georgia returns to contact with the baskets of the naturalized McFadden and Sanadze (ex Pistoia). Everyone shoots from three, luckily Shengelia (a point at the break) is missing: at the interval 40-43. At the start of the second half, the Azzurri try to accelerate with 6 stitches from Tessitori, it’s still +8 but still Sanadze and Berishvili, a winger who plays in Iraq, reopen the games. At the end of this period comes the first field goal by Shengelia who overtakes 58-57 canceled by a triple by Baldasso. Third siren on the blue 58-60.
Heartbeat
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The last quarter is heart-pounding, Georgia presses with Shengelia who also shoots from three points. The hosts go up to +5, questioning even the double confrontation (in the first leg Italy won by 7) but here Spissu, after three mistakes in a row, finds the triple save after that of Severini. Ricci still scores +5 from three, Severini counterattacks +6 (79-85) with 29” to play. It seems done, but Shengelia and Berishivili go back to -1 with 7″. Do it on Pajola who pits both free, last possession for Georgia but Shengelia’s fly is out of time. Italy can celebrate around Poz who completes a mission that is not easy as a rookie coach.
Georgia: Shengelia 15, Shermadini 14, Sanadze 14
Italy: Spissu 15, Tessitori 15, Biligha 11, Vitali 11
November 14, 2022 (change November 14, 2022 | 18:49)
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