Carlo RECALCATI (ITA)
04/08/2006
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ITA - Recalcati names Italy squad for FIBA World Championship

MILAN (FIBA World Championship) - Italy coach Carlo Recalcati has named his 12-man squad for the FIBA World Championship in Japan and there were no places for Giorgio Boscagin or Alessandro Cittadini.

Neither played in Wednesday night's 73-69 defeat to Croatia in the Acropolis Tournament - the fifth successive defeat for the Italians as they prepare for Group D action in Sapporo.

Luca Garri, who helped the Azzurri capture a silver medal but was left out of last year's EuroBasket group, is included.

Newcomers include Marco Belinelli, Fabio Di Bella, Andrea Michelori, Andrea Pecile and Mason Rocca.

In all there are six players who represented the Azzurri at last year's EuroBasket in Serbia & Montenegro, including Gianluca Basile, Denis Marconato, Stefano Mancinelli, Angelo Gigli, Marco Mordente and Matteo Soragna.

Italy had hoped to include Benetton Treviso power forward Andrea Bargnani, but the federation decided against his involvement this summer in order for the 20-year-old to focus on his rookie season in the NBA.

Bargnani was taken first overall in the draft by the Toronto Raptors.

Italy are in Group D of the FIBA World Championship with China, Team USA, Senegal, Slovenia and Puerto Rico.

The Azzurri needed a wild card after losing in the elimination round of EuroBasket 2005 against Croatia.

Squad: Gianluca Basile, Marco Belinelli, Fabio Di Bella, Luca Garri, Angelo Gigli, Stefano Mancinelli, Denis Marconato, Andrea Michelori, Marco Mordente, Andrea Pecile, Richard Mason Rocca, Matteo Soragna

PA Sport