Italy beats the Philippines in the third and decisive match in group A at the basketball World Cup and enters the second phase of the competition. Pozzecco’s team won 90-83 (partials 20-23, 48-39, 73-60). After the defeat in the second match against the Dominican Republic, who today also overtook Angola finishing first with full points, there was expectation to see the blue formation at work which on this occasion showed compactness and substance in the presence of home crowd that hasn’t stopped cheering Jordan Clarkson (23 in the end for him) and his companions. The team led by Vincent Reyes tried to counter the Azzurri especially at the beginning of the second set (+4), but Fontecchio (18) and Tonut (13) reversed the inertia of the game allowing a rest on the 48-37 Azzurri . In the third period Pajola takes the chair (3/3 consecutive from long distance) who signs the +15 Italy (64-49). In the last partial the maximum advantage arrives for the Poz team signed by Spissu (13 total and 9 assists) who scores +18 (78-60), but in the final, thanks to some indecision from the Azzurri, the Filipinos come back close until the -7 (88-81 at 1’30” from the siren). Also noteworthy is the performance with few shadows by Nicolò Melli (10 points and 7 assists).
