Reggio Calabria, February 23, 2025 – The Italian Basketball team’s qualification journey for the next European Championships ends with a defeatOn the last day of Group B, Hungary is the one to smile winning at PalaCalafiori by 67-71 and obtaining the thirteenth victory in the history of direct clashes. A result that will not be enough for the guests in light of the simultaneous victory of Iceland against Turkey. Returning to the challenge on the shores of the Strait, a Nicola Akele 6/8 from the field along with three other men in double figures (Spagnolo, Diouf and Bortolani). On the other hand, the performances of former Capo d’Orlando Zoltan Perl (20) and David Vojvoda (16) are decisive. Italy is thus unable to give continuity to the midweek blitz that arrived right in Turkey.
The Azzurri waste a ten-point lead: the final quarter is fatal
Coach Pozzecco introduces a new addition to the twelve, inserting Sasha Grant in place of Riccardo Rossato and with Saliou Niang available after the flu attack that kept him at rest in the match in Turkey. Pajola, Spagnolo, Procida, Severini, Diouf is the starting five chosen to face the Magyars who start with a better pace than the Azzurri. Gyorgy Goloman signs the 3-7 thanks to a central triple after two and a half minutes of clock. The bench is immediately called upon and rewards the home team: Akele places the bomb of the temporary overtaking but the powder remains wet in attack with merciless numbers: 4/16 from the field (25%) and 2/8 from three. Four consecutive points by Keller set the first quarter score at 10-13. Akele evens the score with another conclusion from the arc but two lost balls by Sarr give rise to two long-distance shots that tip the balance in favor of the red and whites (13-19). Spagnolo will fix everything by paving the way for the tricolor extension with the play of pure energy by Guglielmo Caruso (25-21 at 15′). There is no reason to rest easy for Italy who will then have to cash in another break from Gasper Okorn’s troops still packaged by the trio Perl-Vojvoda-Perl who delivered a five-point lead at half-time (27-32).
The music changes in the second half when the ideas seem diametrically different for Italy. In defense a wall is raised around the Italian basket that will only manage to collect one point in five minutes of play. And the offense also benefits from this, slowly first managing to cancel the gap and then stepping on the accelerator with protagonists Matteo Spagnolo supported by Giordano Bortolani and Nicola Akele that is worth a 12-0 partial. On the Hungarian side, Pongo and Perl give a jolt with the basket of -4 at 29′ promptly blocked by Italian team closes at 50-42 at the sound of the third siren. A clear change of pace that is once again called into question by the usual Perl and Vojvoda who overturn the scenario. The light goes off for Pozzecco’s roster that sinks on -9 with Somogyi. From the free throw line Mouhamet Diouf kept the chances of a comeback alive (64-66 in the 39th minute) but Vojvoda dashed them shortly after with 1/2 from the charity line that sent the match to its final credits.
