Poz’s team (wearing black armbands in mourning for the passing of Giorgio Armani) defeats the modest Cypriots 89-54 and now faces Slovenia

Pozzecco said it after the victory against Spain: “We have rediscovered our identity.” They will need a lot of it against Slovenia on Sunday in the round of 16 in Riga. Italy knows how to suffer against Luka Magic Doncic. Don’t make any plans. Italy enters this second phase after beating Cyprus, not the right opponent to dent Poz’s newfound confidence. And after Greece knocked out Spain in what has become the Eurobasket of surprises. We need to put the past behind us, because now it’s getting serious. Melli and his teammates know they have potential, but they will need to be perfect against Slovenia. The test against Cyprus left a good impression, as it could not have been otherwise. So much so that the Azzurri took care of business without any problems: 89-54, a game that was never in doubt. Fourth consecutive victory. Yet, this was also a useful match to take a trip into tomorrow. That is, into the round of 16, which will be played in a few days. With black armbands in mourning for Giorgio Armani, the Azzurri showed once again, even against Cyprus, that desire for unity that will be even more necessary from here on out. But second place in the group is still a great satisfaction, and we must enjoy it.
Italy dominated from the start: high defense, Spagnolo-Diouf pick and roll, and an immediate 24-6 run. So, we need to look beyond the score to understand how far Italy can go. Despite the weak opponent, Gallinari and his teammates are building a recognizable style: pressure in attack, timely help from the second line, and a protected area without too much fuss. From this perspective, then, even Cyprus was a way to summarize the previous episodes. Italy has had its ups and downs on this long road to qualifying for the next round, it’s true. But the victory over Spain, given how the game unfolded, was certainly the most organic and sincere. Because it was done with heart. From here on out, many things will have to be put in order. Doncic is an extraordinary player who becomes unstoppable when he gets going. The 37 points against Israel are proof of that. But there is much more to be tweaked. Spagnolo, for example. His support is decisive. And it has been, yes. But he has always allowed himself a few moments of pause, and in certain games you just can’t allow that.

ATTACK—  In attack, the system is full of things: clean spacing, the three-pointer used as a weapon and not as an obsession. Fontecchio, for now, has had a night of glory (39 points against Bosnia). He too needs more consistency. Italy is capable of keeping pace with 90 points, and this could be an important foundation if they were to face Slovenia. However, the issue of three-pointers is a delicate one. Against Cyprus, as on other occasions, shooting from the arc was not always impressive (11/38). But while this may be acceptable against the hosts of this stage of the European Championship, from here on out, the percentages will have to improve. Of course, Pozzecco’s basketball has been more efficient than spectacular so far. Thompson has now integrated himself. Procida wants more minutes (and that’s great). The ability to exploit Diouf from mid-range can increase the Azzurri’s offensive power. And we’ll see Niang. Italy is not dependent on Melli, even though the captain has always been the extra man so far.

Contribution from the bench—  The bench brings functionality, not just energy: offensive rebounding, vertical penetration to change the pace. This modularity is allowing Italy to vary its lineups without losing consistency, which is a valuable asset against rivals who change defensively. Italy honored the game against Cyprus, and so did its big names: four in double figures (Gallinari, Fontecchio, Spagnolo, and Diouf). This is also a good sign. Two priorities for the future: always-on defensive transition and attention to blocks away from the ball. Up front, however, they need to remain faithful by hammering away with more incisiveness. If this identity remains the foundation and adjustments are made, games like the one against Spain (much more so than the one against Cyprus, of course) will make Italy a team capable of anything. As for heart, that will never be lacking. Especially against Doncic.