ITA - We missed EuroBasket - Belinelli

SIAULIAI (EuroBasket 2011) - Italy have not been at a EuroBasket since 2007 and one of the biggest leaders of Italia's new generation admits the proud nation jealously watched the last continental championship from home.

"We missed this tournament. So we are happy to be here," said Marco Belinelli, whose Italian side was one of the main larger countries to have benefitted from the expanded EuroBasket field from 16 to 24 teams.

Italy are hardly an also-ran though as they feature three NBA stars in Belinelli, Andrea Bargnani and Danilo Gallinari as well as a star from a respected U.S. university in Daniel Hackett, who attended the University of Southern California.

"At the same time, we are a good team. We can play against the best teams in Europe. We want to stay here. We are a good team and a good group," added Belinelli.

The 25-year-old native of Giovanni in Persiceto is one of Italy's key players. And the shooting guard has worked hard over the summer to improve his game.

"I'm a shooting guard but at the same time I want to do everything. I want to shoot the ball, pass the ball, play defense. I want to be a complete guy," said Belinelli, who plays for the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA.

"I worked this summer on my body because I need to be bigger in the NBA. But I don't want to lose my balance and athleticism. I am thinking about what I need to do to win a game."

Italian coach Simone Pianigiani is pleased with what he has seen from Belinelli at this EuroBasket.

"For me his stats are not important, but more his personality on defense and talking and understanding and playing to feed the other players because he has the talent to pass and help on rebounding," said Pianigiani.

"He can do a lot of things on the court. And he will be really important for us. We need the players to do a lot of different things on the court. And he understands that."

Belinelli knows that Italy will need himself, Bargnani and Gallinari to step up if Italy still hope to reach the 2012 Olympics.

"We have to carry the team and play like a team," said Belinelli.

Italy have not reached the Olympics since taking silver in 2004. And when asked what it would be like to play at London 2012, Belinelli said: "It would be great. It's a dream for us. We have never played in the Olympic Games - none of us. We're going to try to do that. We know it's not easy."

FIBA