By Michalis Gioulenoglou/ info@eurohoops.net
Limassol, Cyprus – After scoring 18 points across two games of EuroBasket 2025, Simone Fontecchio erupted for a career-high 39 points, leading Italy to win, 96-79, over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Spyros Kyprianou Arena.
The 29-year-old forward of the Miami Heat in the NBA neared his previous total with 12 points over the first six minutes of the Gameday 3 affair.
Early in the fourth quarter, he eclipsed his career mark between international and club action of 30 points, with the Azzurri en route to reaching a 15-point advantage, after trailing for seven minutes in a back-and-forth battle featuring five lead changes. He finished with 13/20 field goals, including seven three-pointers, with his final triple setting a new Italian record for the most points by a player in a single game.
Overcoming the ejection of head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco, Italy pulled away in the third quarter and jumped to 2-1 in Group C of the preliminary round, limiting the opponents to 1-2. The 52-year-old tactician was issued two technical fouls for stepping onto the court, with the second sending him to the locker room, only 48 seconds into the second half. Lead assistant Edoardo Casalone took over head-coaching duties for the remainder of Sunday’s fixture.
🇮🇹 ❌ Gianmarco Pozzecco was ejected in the Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina game for stepping onto the court to complain to his players .#Eurobasket pic.twitter.com/MaAe7M0Z8j
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 31, 2025
“I pay for all the other coaches”, said jockingly coach Pozzecco in the press conference.
Besides the explosive career-high of Fontecchio combined with eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal over 37 minutes, Marco Spissu put in nine of his 14 points in the third quarter and Darius Thompson added 14 more points. On the losing end, Jusuf Nurkic posted a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double.
“Unfortunately, we gave them so many open looks that we shouldn’t. We helped, and we shouldn’t help them. And some mistakes cost us,” mentioned the 31-year-old center of the Utah Jazz in the postgame press conference, “They got the win, and we are still looking for that win.”
Earlier in Limassol, Spain crushed host Cyprus, 91-47. With Sergio Scariolo spreading playing time, Willy Hernangomez needed 15 minutes to register a game-high 19 points with 8/9 field goals.
With Italy and Spain notching wins, Greece officially clinched a berth in the Round of 16, with two outings remaining in the round-robin schedule.
Resuming action with Gameday 4 on Tuesday, Bosnia-Herzegovina faces Greece, Georgia is next for Cyprus, and Italy collides with Spain.
Photo Credit: FIBA