ITA - Mordente heads Azzurri team bound for Lithuania

ROME (EuroBasket 2011) - A few hours before flying to Lithuania, Simone Pianigiani announced his 12-man squad for EuroBasket, where Italy will start from group B, in Siauliai, against Serbia, Germany, Latvia, France and Israeli.

After missing injured players like Jacopo Giachetti, Angelo Gigli and Andrea Crosariol, Pianigiani's last doubt was because of personal reasons: captain Marco Mordente missed the Acropolis Tournament because of his first son's birth. But Mordente was back into the team before heading to Lithuania.

This way Pianigiani excluded Luca Vitali and Giuseppe Poeta from the team, deciding to call three playmakers (Anthony Maestranzi, Daniel Hackett and Andrea Cinciarini), three guards (Marco Belinelli, Mordente and Marco Carraretto), three forwards (Luigi Datome, Danilo Gallinari and Stefano Mancinelli) and three centers (Andrea Bargnani, Marco Cusin and Andrea Renzi).

Coming back to EuroBasket after missing the 2009 edition, Italy are at their first competition with three NBA players together, as Gallinari is available after missing 2007 EuroBasket through injury. He then missed the following three summer campaigns, too.

And the chemistry between Bargnani, Belinelli and Gallinari was immediately excellent - they shared the ball, with Belinelli also moving to the point-guard role, and with Gallinari creating a lot of situations with his one-on-one.

The other main beginner with the Azzurri squad is 24-year old point-guard Daniel Hackett, son of a former American player (Rudy Hackett) but born and raised in Italy until his NCAA experience with Southern California.

But the team's leader is definitely coach Pianigiani, who won five Italian titles with Montepaschi Siena in five seasons as head coach, reaching twice the Euroleague's Final Four.

Pianigiani took over the Italian bench in 2010, and since his arrival the team has been improving game after game, and the Azzurri squad is reaching EuroBasket after winning nine out of eleven friendly games played this summer, showing every time good tactical ability.

The same ability will be crucial in Lithuania, as Italy won't have much size in the paint.

"We need enthusiasm, desire and the right spirit to overcome the lack of size and of experience, too" said Pianigiani, also recognizing that Italy's average age is 26,3, but with eight players who are 26 years old or younger.

"We are looking forward to playing against important opponents, we will find out our worth. We will try to go through the first round" added Pianigiani.

"It won't be easy, against Serbia who was only one shot away from the World Championship's final last year, against France that looks like the closest team to Spain, and against Germany and its superstar Dirk Nowitzki. But every sport gives an opportunity to change any situation, and EuroBasket, with five games in the first six days, will offer us many chances".

FIBA