VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - For those who travelled to Germany or France and watched Italy compete at EuroBasket 2015, or saw them on television or online, there was only one conclusion to be drawn.

Italy, who finished sixth at the 24-team EuroBasket to reach one of the three FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) and were so entertaining that they worth the price of admission, are among the frontrunners to make it the Rio de Janeiro Games.

The Azzurri would have preferred to reach last September's Final in Lille to clinch an automatic berth to Brazil but Lithuania dashed that hope by beating them 95-85 after overtime in the Quarter-Finals.

That defeat didn't kill them, though. It made them stronger. That was easy to see when less than 24 hours later, the Azzurri won a game they had to win against the Czech Republic, 85-70, to stay in the hunt for the Olympics.

The Italians showed their grit, their toughness, their determination to clinch an OQT berth. On balance, Italy had a very good summer.

More important than anything in 2015, Italy got their fans back home excited about the national team. They did so because everyone joined forces. Danilo Gallinari, Marco Belinelli, Luigi Datome and Andrea Bargnani returned from the NBA and joined the likes of Alessandro Gentile, Daniel Hackett and a host of others. 

Italy (ITA) fans are big believers once again

Would they have made it to the OQT had Giovanni Petrucci not returned as president of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) a few years ago? My guess is no.

Leading the FIP for the second time, Petrucci brought plenty of determination to the job, and clout. He spoke about his aims in an interview with ITALPRESS.

"One was to bring back the interest in the national team and (the other) to regain the interest of the TV and media with seven live games a week between Serie A, A2, NBA, NCAA and Euroleague," he said. "In both cases, we have been successful."

After the EuroBasket, Petrucci set another target for Italy. He decided to go after the country's best coach, Ettore Messina, and have him hold the reins in 2016. Petrucci was successful. Simone Pianigiani, the coach of Italy at the last three EuroBaskets, agreed to take on a role as technical director for the national teams. By bringing back the respected Messina, who first led Italy 24 years ago, Petrucci has given the country its best chance of winning. 

"We need to attempt everything to reach the Olympics," Petrucci said in an interview with RAE Radio 1. 

Messina, a former Euroleague-winning head coach of Virtus Bologna and CSKA Moscow, is on the San Antonio Spurs bench, working as assistant to Gregg Popovich. He knows the game inside and out.

"He's a coach I know well, whom I called upon when he was young, in 1992," said Petrucci, who between his stints in charge of the FIP served as president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). "In reality the rapport with Messina was never interrupted. The feeling and respect have never been lacking and I was happy, especially with his great willingness (to return to coach Italy)."

Messina, according to Petrucci, has already entered the role of head coach. He speaks to the players often and spends time with them the night before his Spurs play their teams. Messina has already given input on the OQT and planned the preparation for it.

There are 18 teams going after three spots for the Rio Games. While Italy are in no way a certainty to claim one of those places, they do have a better chance than most. That chance will improve if their bid to host an OQT in Turin is successful. The FIBA Executive Committee will meet on 19 January and announce the host cities for three men's OQTs.

The players can't turn their full attention to the OQT for some time but rest assured, others in Italy are thinking about nothing else.

"It's not going to be easy," Petrucci said, "but I continue to say that we can make it."

I, for one, believe him. Everyone else should, too.

Jeff Taylor

FIBA 

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.