By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Italian Basketball Federation announced the 14-man roster of the Italian national team ahead of the first two games of Round 2 of the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers.
The big news for Italy is the return of team captain Gigi Datome following a one-year absence. Datome last played for the “Azzurri” in the EuroBasket 2017 and is now back with the squad, and quite happy about it.
“It’s great to be able to play with the national team,” Datome said for the Italian Federation’s website. “I’ve never played in a World Cup and it would be nice to do it, both for me and this group of players.”
Forward Nicolo Melli, Datome’s Fenerbahce teammate, is also back with the national team. L.A. Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari is out as is Olimpia Milano guard Amedeo Della Valle.
Italy, that begins at the second place (4-2) in Group J, will face Poland (3-3) on September 14 and Hungary (3-3) on (September 17). The Group also features Lithuania (6-0), Croatia (3-3) and Netherlands (3-3). The first three teams advance to the World Cup while the rest will play in the 2021 EuroBasket Qualifiers.
The Italian national team’s roster is as follows:
4 Pietro Aradori (1988, 196, G, Segafredo Virtus Bologna)
#6 Paul Biligha (1990, 200, C, Umana Reyer Venezia)
#7 Luca Vitali (1986, 201, P, Germani Basket Brescia)
#9 Nicolò Melli (1991, 205, F, Fenerbahce – Turchia)
#11 Leonardo Candi (1997, 190, G, Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia)
#12 Ariel Filloy (1987, 190, G, Sidigas Avellino)
#16 Amedeo Tessitori (1994, 208, C, De’ Longhi Treviso Basket)
#20 Andrea Cinciarini (1986, 193, G, A|X Armani Exchange Milano)
#21 Diego Flaccadori (1996, 193, G, Dolomiti Energia Trentino)
#23 Awudu Abass (1993, 200, A, Germani Basket Brescia)
#27 Stefano Tonut (1993, 194, G, Umana Reyer Venezia)
#32 Christian Burns (1985, 203, F/C, A|X Armani Exchange Milano)
#41 Brian Sacchetti (1986, 200, A, Germani Basket Brescia)
#70 Luigi Datome (1987, 203, F, Fenerbahce)
Photo: FIBA