Breaking the team's historical record! Fontecchio explodes with 39 points and 7 three-pointers as Italy defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure back-to-back wins

On September 1st, in the EuroBasket group stage, Italy's men's basketball team overcame Bosnia and Herzegovina 96-79, winning an essential game for their qualification hopes. Fontecchio showcased a commanding offensive performance, putting up 39 points as the main factor in the victory.

In this match, Fontecchio’s 39 points set a new individual scoring record for the EuroBasket and also surpassed the previous highest score by an Italian player in the tournament, which was 36 points by Bargnani against Latvia in 2011. Fontecchio shot 13 of 20 from the field, 7 of 10 from beyond the arc, and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line, adding 8 rebounds and 3 assists to his 39 points.

With this win, Italy improved their group stage record to 2 wins and 1 loss, marking their second consecutive victory; meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina suffered their second straight defeat, dropping to 1 win and 2 losses.

The first half was tightly contested with the score neck-and-neck, and Fontecchio had already scored 21 points by halftime. However, just one minute into the second half, Italy’s head coach Pozzecco was ejected after receiving two technical fouls. Despite this setback, Italy remained unfazed and pulled away early in the fourth quarter, leading 79-64 at one point. Bosnia and Herzegovina then launched a comeback, narrowing the gap to 82-77 and gaining momentum. Italy quickly responded with an 11-0 run, sealing the victory decisively.

Notably, Fontecchio scored only 4 points in the first game, improved to 14 points in the second, and delivered a breakout performance in this match.

Italy’s next challenge will be tough—they will face the defending champions Spain, who also have two consecutive wins.