Tuesday, 29.08.2006	posted by Stefano Valenti 5:22 pm
Category: FIBA World Championship

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HOW LITHUANIA KILLED ITALY FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 4 DAYS...

SAITAMA - Spain-Lithuania is now finished. Like it was at the end of first quarter, with the "furie rosse" leading by 17.

After that, 17 at the second horn, 23 at the third, 22 at the last one.

Coach Sireika had only 3 minutes from the injured Simas Jasaitis, a big regrets for the Lithuanian adventure here, also if Kleiza earned minutes and experience on the floor, that can help this talented guy to improve his basketball at international level.

More, Sireika had 0 points from Arvidas Macijauskas and this fact probably never happened in the past.

Sireika asked 32 minutes to Kalnietis, and the young point guard pay him back with numbers. Finally, 28 turnovers.

That's all. Lithuania down by 22.

But, looking the game with italian eyes, our regrets became now BIG regrets. Italy would play this quarterfinals game vs a wonderful Spain and, we're sure, offering a basketball game that, as everybody knows, need two teams on the floor. And not just one.

Lithuania earned the right to play this game beating Italy; but, after that, they showed no respect for the honour to play such a so crucial game.

We've seen a team already satisfied for the result they reached, withous Saras and Siska, putting no efforts on the court, no heart, not the tradition they have in BB, a country where basketball is a kind of religion.

Italy, at the top of his shape here in Japan, didn't let USA to play his basketball, made of big pressare, steals or rebounds, fastbreak, dunks.

It means that you can do the same vs Spain, if you're not killed by fatigue.

As happened vs the Lithuanians.

They deserve to beat Italy, Italy deserved to face the spaniards and force them to a huge contest on the floor, like they still hadn't until now.

The Azzurri had a chance to watch the game live this morning, in Italy, and probably many of them turn off the tv screen at the end of first quarter, that was enough to re-open a wound hard to close in their mind.

At the beginning of the tournament, coach Carlo Recalcati told us the three rules that gave to the team to advance in the competition: one of that was "make the free throws".

6/19 vs Lithuania.

So com'on Azzurri, go and practice.

We're not talking about a lot of talented players to watch, big bodies to face, or NBA size: just hit the free throws.

But regrets are walking with us. Last one? Jorge Garbajosa, one of the leader of Spain, just few minutes ago: "If we had to face Italy instead of Lithuania would be a deadly game for us". Please, stop...