By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Before talking about the past results and expectations, coach Romeo Sacchetti highlighted the importance of the feeling when playing for the national team as well as the importance of the Qualifiers for the basketball in general: “I am a former player of the national team and I know what it means to put the Italy jersey on. That’s important. It’s good for basketball, because the national team, when it plays, there is more enthusiasm.”, the coach said to FIBA.basketball.
The Italian national team had perfect World Cup Qualifiers so far as they recorded all four wins. The coach admitted that he is pleased with the development but also warns that this is only the beginning as they haven’t even finished the first round yet: “It’s only four games. Yes, we are happy, but we know we need more wins. We have the last two games (of the First Round) and after, we have to meet the other teams in the other part. We have Croatia in Trieste and after, the Netherlands. Then after (in the Second Round), we have Lithuania, Poland and Hungary. It’s not going to be easy, but the important thing is we have started the competition with a good feeling and new players.”
Before the game with Croatia on June 28 in Trieste, Sacchetti highlighted the importance of home-court advantage and expects the same answer form the fans as until now: “We’ve played two games at home, one in Torino (Turin) and one in Treviso. The answer of the fans has been fantastic. It’s important, home court advantage. That is important for the Italian players, the link with the fans. It’s also important that the players have a good answer for the fans to work really well. Now we are going to play in Trieste and I think it will be the same thing.”
The most important thing for coach Sacchetti is teamwork and not ‘pulling the punches’ because a player believes he is better than the rest: “Maybe when you play in a team and you are one of the main one or two players, then you don’t play defense like you should because you may get another foul. But I tell my players: ‘You have to play tough because behind you is another great player.'”
Photo credit: FIBA