Eleven-time African champions Angola suffered an opening-day 67-81 defeat to Italy in the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Friday at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
The Angolans came into the tournament as one of five African contingents and were drawn in Group A alongside the Blues, the Dominican Republic, and co-hosts the Philippines.
The game was very even for most of the first three quarters, with Italy taking the first and third quarters while Angola won the second and headed into the final round with a four-point deficit. However, Gli Azzurri grabbed control of the game in the fourth quarter with a score of 20-10 to eventually win by a margin of 14 points.
Italy book their first win of the World Cup by holding off Angola in the opening game of Group A ????#FIBAWC x #WinForItalia ???????? pic.twitter.com/mvMLt2M57Q
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ???? (@FIBAWC) August 25, 2023
Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio ensured the Italians improved to a 3-0 all-time record against Angola in the FIBA World Cup in front of about 21,214 spectators in the Philippine Arena in the Group A curtain raiser.
The 27-year-old poured in 19 points, grabbed five rebounds, and managed one block in 27 minutes to help the Europeans secure maximum points. Stefano Tonut added 18 points, while Giampaolo Ricci finished with 12 points and two blocks for Italy.
Angola, on the other hand, put up a good fight but just fell short. They were led by Childe Dundao’s 19 points, along with Atlanta Hawks’ Bruno Fernando’s 13 points, five rebounds, and four steals.
The Angolans currently sit second in the group with one point, while Italy are atop with two points, with two more games to come for both teams. They will play the Philippines in their second game on Sunday, August 27, at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, while Italy will take on Dominican Republic.
