The Italian basketball team bid farewell to their home crowd with another convincing performance. At the PalaDozza in Bologna, Gianmarco Pozzecco's team defeated Argentina 84-72, securing their fourth consecutive victory in their European Championship pre-season tests.
The match, the first meeting with the South American team in 21 years since the historic 2004 Athens Olympic final, saw the Azzurri control the score for long stretches. Leading by seven at halftime, Spissu and his teammates accelerated in the third quarter (27-18) to a 16-point lead. Argentina, a young team far from the glories of Manu Ginobili's "Generación Dorada," had a surge in the final quarter, coming back to within nine, but a three-pointer from Fontecchio put paid to any hopes of a comeback.
The Miami Heat player was the game's top scorer with 19 points and already looked to be the leader. Matteo Spagnolo also put in a solid performance, scoring 18 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Sassari native Marco Spissu (12 points) and Momo Diouf (10) also performed well, while naturalized player Darius Thompson, making his debut for Italy, scored 3 points.
The national team will now fly to Athens for the Acropolis Tournament, where they will face coach Luca Banchi's Latvia on Thursday and Greece on Friday, the same opponent they will also face in the opening game of Eurobasket on August 28.

Italy-Argentina 84-72
Italy : Spissu 12, Melli 4, Fontecchio 19, Thompson 3, Ricci 2, Spagnolo 18, Procida 6, Niang 2, Diouf 10, Rossato 0, Severini 0, Akele 8, Pajola. Coach: Pozzecco
Argentina : Caffaro 6, Aaliya, Marcos 4, Brussino 5, Corbalan 17, Vildoza 4, Bordon ne, Bressan 8, Fernandez 3, Vaulet 12, Trouet, Lugarini, Negrete 5. Coach Prigioni
Partials : 25-19; 40-33; 67-51