The faith of Italy, who was able to turn the game around in the second half of the fourth quarter with the leadership of Nicolo Melli (13 points and 9 rebounds) and Danilo Gallinari (18), defeated a Germany that deflated and did not know how to play the final moments in its premiere in the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The transalpine team, full of confidence in its possibilities to overcome the German advantages again and again, based on its good noon in the launch of three points (15 triples of 32 attempts, 47%), with a magnificent Maodo
It (24 points, 6 of 9 in triples), but that in the final moments, he did not know how to play the game.
At the moment of truth, the Italian pride was stronger and converged with the success (they finished with 15 of 31 in triples, 48%). Melli, who had not released his score until the break, fought for 13 points in the important moments. The eaves Simone fontecchio he responded with a spectacular 5-of-5 shooting from the 6.75-meter line to finish with 20 points. Y Gallinari He finished off with 18 points and key baskets, as an unlikely penetration that made the 82-90 almost definitive.
All this invalidated a game well worked by Germany, who took advantage at the end of the fourth quarter, with a flurry of outside success with three triples, two of Andreas Obst, one of Johannes Voigtmann and another of Niels Giffey, to bring the 14-14 to 23-14 (min. 6), in a quarter ended at 32-22.
The Italian reaction came in the middle of the second set, when between Fontecchio Y Stefano tonut returned the equality to the electronic one (43-43), although a triple of Maodo Lo In the final minute he maintained a brief German advantage at halftime (46-43).
A new German stretch, with Lo at the controls and scoring, with two triples in less than a minute put them in command again (57-48, min. 23). Nicolo Melli took the transalpine team on his shoulders and then supported him Danilo Gallinari, but the ‘azzurri’ were always in tow: 72-68 at the end of the quarter.
The Italian faith had no limits. They were always close and balanced the duel in the middle of the final period. The 80-80 of minute 35 heralded a game of chess on the parquet, and the Italian triples began to rain. Fontecchio Y Melli they got it right, Gallinari starred in a spectacular tray, and again Melli provided the sentence, with the final 82-92.
The victory puts Italy as the first leader of Group B, which will complete its first day this afternoon (17.20 local, 10.20 CET) with the Australia-Nigeria. The transalpinos will play again on Wednesday 28 against Australia, while Germany will play the second day against Nigeria.
Data sheet
82 – Germany (32 + 14 + 25 + 24): Bonga (13), Obst (12), Giffey (3), Barthel (5), Voigtmann (3) -the starting five-, Benzing, Lo (24), Saibou (6), Thiemann (4), Wagner (12), Wank and Wimberg.
92 – Italy (22 + 21 + 25 + 24): Mannion (10), Tonut (18), Vitali (3), Melli (13), Fontecchio (20) -the starting five-, Gallinari (18), Moraschini (8 ), Pajola (2), Polonara and Tessitori.
Referees: Antonio Conde (ESP), Ahmed Al-Shuwaili (IRQ), Yevgeny Mikheyev (KAZ).
Incidents: match of the first day of Group B of the men’s basketball tournament of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, played at the Saitama Super Arena (Japan), without spectators due to the sanitary measures against the coronavirus pandemic.