By Luca Virgilio
Italian Under 18 National Team is ready for this European Championship in Latvia and after a long training period it’s time to play. Here we briefly analyze the final 12 players chosen by Coach Capobianco:
Luca Vencato (‘95, 6’4’’, PM): he has a good vision of the game and he is able to manage to his liking the rhythm when the ball is in his hands. Vencato is a tidy playmaker with no frills, excellent in pick and roll situation and with a very tiny turnovers range. This is second U18 European Championship, last year he ended the competition with 3.4 points, 1,7 rebounds and 1 assist per game in 15 minutes.
Marco Spissu (‘95, 6’2’’, PM): he is a small size playmaker that could be useful in open court situation thanks to his rapidity and his fast shot in transition. With Maccaferri, he will be responsible of the organization of the game when Vencato is out. Defensively he could be important in press-defense because he has fast hands to catch the ball on the passing lines.
Alessandro Maccaferri (‘95, 5’9’’, PM): he a really good 3 point shooter, and when he plays pick and roll he could be a real problem for the opponents. Physically he will suffer bigger playmakers but, like for Spissu, Coach Capobianco could use both during the game to try to change the offensive and especially the defensive rhythm.
Lorenzo Baldasso (‘95, 6’4’’, G): he is one of the most important player for this team becausehis shot percentages could change the game. Baldasso is the designated three point shooter of this Italian NT and every time he’ll have space he’ll shoot for sure. Furthermore he’s smart and in some situation he will work as support to the playmaker.
Tommaso Laquintana (‘95, 6’2’’, G): he has just sign his first pro-contract with Capo D’Orlando of Coach Pozzecco in Legadue and he is ready to do great things in this U18European Championship. Laquintana is a strong guard, really athletic and explosive thanks to his strong musculature in both upper and downward body side. He is not a 3 point shooter but his 1vs1 is terrific and he could become unstoppable in open court situation. He’s a factor also in defense with great foot work, fast hands and blocks.
Nicola Akele (‘95, 6’7’’, SF): he is a charming player with all the characteristics to become a top player of his generation but he need to be more aggressive in every things that he does on the court. Akele has a very interesting body with long arms and long/skinny legs that allows him to run very quickly the court. He need to make the final step to become a real player.
Pierfrancesco Oliva (‘96, 6’7’’, SF): his talent is unquestionable like he showed last year in the U16 European Championship ended with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists in 27 minutes per game. This year he’ll play one year underage and maybe he’ll face more difficulties but his 1vs1 could be crucial for the destiny of the Italian competition and I think that he could be useful also in grabbing rebound. He’ll play like SF but in some occasion he could also play as PF.
Vittorio Nobile (‘95, 6’3’’, G): probably he’ll have few minutes on the court but he’s a balance player for this team. He’s able to do good things in offense with a reliable shot from mid range and also in defense with a good intensity and a great predisposition to sacrifice.
Simone Fontecchio (‘95, 6’7’’, G): he’s growing moths by months under all the basketball aspects and his future is bright. He is the go to guy of the team and I’m sure that he’ll do good things in this competition playing as shooting forward or as power forward. His body structure allows him to attack every time the rim and in defense he’s a factor thanks to rebounds and blocks, maybe the only problem are his wavering 3 points percentages. Last year he ended the U18 European Championship in Lithuania with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assists in 26 minutes per game.
Daniel Donzelli (‘96, 6’7’’, SF): he’s complete under a lot of aspects but the fact that he’ll play one year underage could limit him because of his shyness on the court. He’ll play minutes as shooting forward but sometimes also like power forward and to enhance his presence on the court he need to grab more rebounds as he can. Donzelli has different good solution in offense and he need to play aggressive every time.
Jacopo Vedovato (‘95, 6’8’’, C): he’s the only real big man of this team and thanks to his muscle he’s a really big presence inside the area. Technically he does not have many offensive solutions but he will guarantee very useful offensive rebound.
Valerio Cucci (‘95, 6’8’’, PF): he usually plays like power forward but in this competition he’ll play a lot of minutes as center. Offensively he could face problems against bigger and stronger opponents but he’s really effective in defense thanks to his ability to steal balls and to play every posses with a lot of intensity.
It is a complete team, full of talented players like Fontecchio, Oliva, Donzelli and Akele assisted by powerfull player like Laquintana, Vedovato and Vencato. The only limit of this team could be the absence of great alternatives under the basket, and because of this player like Fontecchio, Oliva or Akele are likely to play a lot of minutes as power forward.
Friendly games:
Italy - Slovenia 64-67
Italy - Croatia 76-77
Italy - Turkey 65-57
Italy - England 71-74
Italy - Ukraine 81-56
Italy - Greece 64-51
Italy - Austria 70-36
