Pozzecco ejected against Bosnia: Italy loses its head coach
August 31, 2025
Sylvain Sultat
Simone Fontecchio explodes with 39 points against Bosnia-Herzegovina
EuroBasket - Simone Fontecchio sets an Italian record at EuroBasket 2025 with 39 points. The Italian forward leads the Azzurri to a crucial 96-79 victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Limassol, securing Italy's second consecutive win.
Photo Credit : FIBA
Simone Fontecchio delivered an exceptional performance by scoring 39 points – a record for an Italian in EuroBasket – during Italy’s victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina (96-79) in Limassol. This offensive showcase helps the Azzurri improve their record to 2 wins and 1 loss, with two consecutive victories.
Simone Fontecchio has broken Italy’s all-time #EuroBasket scoring record.
39 – Simone Fontecchio | 2025
36 – Andrea Bargnani | 2011
33 – Antonello Rive | 1989
33 – Danilo Gallinari | 2015
32 – Antonello Riva | 1987 pic.twitter.com/1E60jgXHSL— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) August 31, 2025
The Italian forward, who struggled in the first game with only 4 points before bouncing back with 14 points in the second match, has now exploded offensively. Fontecchio converted 7 three-pointers on his way to 39 points, completing his stat line with 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
Exceptional three-point shooting decisive for Italy
The key to this Italian victory lies in the team’s remarkable efficiency from behind the arc. Italy finished the game with an impressive 14 of 24 from three-point range, shooting 58%. In comparison, Bosnia-Herzegovina struggled to find their mark with only 5 makes on 21 attempts from long range.
After a tight first half, the turning point came at the start of the second period. Italian coach Gianmarco Pozzecco was ejected after receiving a second technical foul in the first minute after halftime. Far from destabilizing the Azzurri, this incident energized the team, who pulled away early in the fourth quarter to lead 79-64.
Bosnia-Herzegovina attempted a comeback by reducing the gap to 82-77, but Italy immediately responded with a decisive 11-0 run that sealed the outcome of the game. This defeat marks the second consecutive loss for the Bosnians, who now have a record of 1 win and 2 losses.
Italy can now confidently look ahead to the rest of the competition with two victories in this challenging group. The next challenge will be formidable with a clash against defending champions Spain next Tuesday. The Spanish have also won their last two games and will represent a significant test to confirm the Azzurri’s rising momentum.
Sylvain Sultat suit la NBA au quotidien, entre performances individuelles, dynamiques collectives et grandes histoires de la ligue. Sur BeBasket, il décrypte l’actualité américaine avec passion et régularité, toujours à l’affût des tendances qui font bouger le monde du basket.
Commentaires