On Sunday, July 14th, a large portions of the sports world couldn’t take their eyes off of Wimbledon’s Centre Court. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, two of those players – especially the latter – whose fame and persona goes beyond even the sporting world were battling it out in one of the most memorable matches in tennis’ history.
It was one of those matches you wished would never end – and if the rules didn’t dictate a fifth set tie-break at 12-12 apiece, the two men would have probably have kept on competing even beyond the excruciating 4 hours and 58 minutes of playing time. Inside that mainstreams sports audience, however, was a (very small, but passionate) minority that was wishing for something different.
“Let’s hope Federer and Djokovic won’t keep this up for so long”: otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to watch the opening tip of another final match, in Sarajevo, between Italy and Hungary, to declare the winner of the FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship.
The two events obviously have a very different allure, but if we try and see them on the same scale, we realize that the girls of the Italian national team are (in their own way), a dominant force. This is one of those teams, that’s particularly rare in the youth sector, that’s capable of playing as the clear-cut favourite while being, as a matter of fact, the clear-cut favourite.
They’re champions, if we choose just one word to describe them, leaving aside for a moment the four digits representing their year of birth. Last summer, and not by chance, we called them a “golden generation”. Italy had just won the gold medal at the FIBA U16 European Championship, reaching the apex of the path coach Giovanni Lucchesi – a mentor, both on and off the court – had started years before.
And the standard-bearers of that generation were the “Fab Four”, a quartet of the best prospects born in 2002: Caterina Gilli, MVP of that tourney, Ilaria Panzera, Giulia Natali, Martina Spinelli. But that Beatles-like squad wouldn’t have been enough to withstand a tough single elimination bracket, and to unlock the offensive game of a team that was solid, but was at times too worried about protecting their own basket. They needed the coming-out party of Meriem Nasraoui, the difference-maker in a final match fought and won against Czech Republic.
Fast forward to twelve months later, and we’re in the summer of 2019; same tournament, but in a different category. Those 2002 girls are one year under-age for the U18 mark, but they couldn’t care less. The same goes for coach Roberto Riccardi, who wants all of them among his ranks: “it’s written in this team’s destiny, they’re going to be a winning group”, he says. It would be dismissive to only talk about the Fab Four, these days. Alongside Nasraoui, who’s still acting as a much needed spark in an oiled system – she’s often the first one to come off the bench – there are Silvia Nativi, Clara Rosini and Francesca Leonardi.
The class of 2001 has arrived at the last stage of its career in the youth sector, waiting for the next U20 campaign (Italy did not qualify for the U19 World Cup in Thailand), and they are a minority in this team: Beatrice Stroscio, Lucia Adele Savattieri and Silvia Pastrello, plus Alessandra Orsili, being one of coach Riccardi’s weapons of choice: averaging two steals per game and putting up a solid showing in the final match. She was instrumental in winning the gold medal.
How many things can change in a year? The answer is in the figures once again, but this time it’s not the year of birth on the ID document. +21, +22, +20, +39, +13, +26, +8, for an average margin of over 21 points. These figures marked the Italian victories over Belgium, Germany and Croatia, smoothly sailing through the group stage, and then over Belarus, Spain, Russia and Hungary.
It could be argued that the worst obstacles Italy had to overcome were the ones they created for themselves. Like when they stumbled upon Spain’s zone defense, in a dangerous third quarter, before shaking them off mere minutes ahead of the finish line; or when they left the door open for a Hungary comeback, in a final match that was headed in the Azzurre’s direction from right after the opening tip (Italy was able to hold Hungary to 25% from three-point range, a stat where they were averaging 40%).
Italy’s wins didn’t come from lack of trying by their opponents. A matchup against France would have been an interesting clash, but they lost in the semifinals and were however lacking the five-woman core that had won the FIBA U16 Women’s European Championship two years ago (Chery, Wadoux, Rupert, Fauthoux, Hoard).
Nonetheless, Spain and Russia have always been among the nobility of women’s basketball: plus, Russia had just eliminated Italy from the senior European Championship. Last but not least, Hungary is enjoying its own golden generation: a silver medal at the Bruges 2017 U18 European Championship, a fourth place at the last World Cup, and they’re one of the only teams capable of beating Italy during the last three years.
On a side note, it’s somewhat harder to stay on top of the food chain than to climb to it from the ground. Something changes, indeed, but something else remains the same. That average margin of +21 stands as the signature of a team that has found its identity and keeps charging head-on. “Personality, playstyle and top-notch conditioning”: according to coach Riccard, that’s the recipe for success. Defense has been the strong suit of this U18 squad, both in accuracy and in effort; if it’s true that great minds think alike, coach Lucchesi and coach Riccardi share this very same brand of basketball, a way of thinking that has brilliantly taken roots in every player.
Giulia Natali may very well be the epitome of this concept. She’s an excellent on-ball defender (last year coach Lucchesi said: “she could guard a wall if I asked her to”), lightning quick in covering up for her teammates (4.3 steals per game), and she plays smoothly on the offensive end, making the correct choices at her own pace – she’s been the team’s top scorer at 12 points per game, but you don’t even notice that, since she forces so few shots.
Natali has proved to be a perfect partner in crime to Ilaria Panzera, who’s incredibly talented and likes to push the pace. But speaking of defense and teamwork: Italy approached the semifinals boasting the second spot in steals and two-point percentage, plus they were sixth in rebounds and fifth for fewer turnovers.
Three-point percentage was nothing to be excited about (23.8% in just 3.8 attempts per game, occupying the very last spot in this statistic), but they more than made up for that by earning easy points with their defensive pressure, either running in transition or catching the opposing team off guard after retrieving a loose ball. And then, the steady performance of Caterina Gilli, named among the tournament’s Top 5 even though she was nursing a bad calf and ankle in her left leg; she scored over 9 points and 7 rebounds per game, but more importantly, she was her team’s second leading assistwoman.
We saw Orsili and Spinell improve every game, while Savattieri – 190 centimetres tall (over six feet, two inches) and still with some upside to unlock – earned some precious minutes on the floor and Nasraoui did what she does best: activate the “overdrive mode” when her team slows down to catch their breath. And on top of all that, here comes Ilaria Panzera.
Let’s just try not to focus solely on her MVP trophy. Her averages of 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, and her near-triple double against Spain. We already knew there was something special about Panzera – after all, we’re talking about a girl who speaks in a way that’s almost as flashy as how she plays: “it’s a real satisfaction, after two months of camps, to be able to transform sweat into tears of joy”.
Coach Lucchesi knew that, and coach Riccard knew that as well, or else he wouldn’t have granted her such artistic licence on the floor; a high risk-high reward situation, especially with an 18 year old player, but Panzera herself prefers to act as a point guard, not shying away a single inch from any responsibilities.
Last year’s U16 European Championship was in someway the international novice dance for Panzera. Her skillset was in full display, but Italian fans wondered: this kind of player must have the ball in her hands most of the time, but in terms of distributing the ball and controlling the pace, will she be able to put it all together?
One year later, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. Seeing Panzera deliver on the Sarajevo’s hardwood, the usual array of creative passes and deceptive drives, it would seem like Italy has a star in the making; maybe one day she’ll be able to replicate the path of Cecilia Zandalasini, emulating her impact and “gravity”on the media in the process.
The goal is still far ahead, but Panzera is already following in her colleague’s footsteps: they both grew up playing for Geas, a club based in Sesto San Giovanni, and Cecilia has won a European Championship MVP as well. As odd as it seems, born six years apart, the two had never met each other in person since last year, when Rolling Stone arranged an interview that also included Giulia Natali and Martina Spinelli as well, all involved in an entertaining sisters/colleagues/rivals scenario.
“There’s a problem between her and me, because Cecilia is sponsored by a brand, and I am sponsored by the other one. But at least we’ve got one thing in common; sometimes people compare me to her. Damn!” said Panzera, not showing the slightest hint of reverence. She has become the spokesperson for a Nike campaign “Nothing can stop us”, appearing in magazines such as Freeda and Glamour. “Basketball is fun, when I play, I’m always happy-go-lucky”: the catchphrase of her fresh, genuine public image goes along these lines.
But even though Panzera might headline magazines with her attitude and her smile, let’s not forget about her effort and dedication. While approaching her summer commitments, she said her top goal wasn’t a medal with the U18 team – knowing her character, she was probably already envisioning the European Championship like a walk in the park – but rather a call from the senior national team.
Now that the golden generation has fulfilled its destiny, bringing home a medal worthy of the name, how does this bode for the future? Italian women’s basketball is living a dynamic, multi-faceted period, which also presents many complex problems. Generally speaking, winning increases the popularity of a sport, and we’ve seen our share of success lately; two U16 and U18 gold medals, plus the 2018 3x3 World Cup conquered by the proud foursome of Rulli-D’Alie-Filippi-Ciavarella.
On top of that, Cecilia Zandalasini has been achieving some huge individual feats playing for Fenerbahce and for the Minnesota Lynx. Women’s team sports are experiencing a peak in popularity, spearheaded by the recent USA showing at the football World Cup; a trend that is slowly but steadily growing worldwide. Perhaps, Italy now needs a deep, exciting run from its senior national team to really jump to the next level at home.
Italian fans have been following with growing interest the “Azzurre” games at the last senior European Championship in Belgrade, thanks in part to the “echo chamber” offered by web platforms who are acting more and more in place of traditional TV broadcasts, when it comes to such niche events. But the team coached by Marco Crespi fell to Hungary and Russia and was sent packing after just four games, causing the fans to hit the brake on their excitement. To be honest, the expectations were probably a bit too high for a team that’s still new to a stage this bright.
People often refer to a “structural issue” when arguing about women’s basketball in Italy, a lack in height and weight that is easier to hide in youth sectors and becomes more prominent in senior competitions. The issue is very important for the matter at hand, for we’re discussing how the Fab Four and the other 2002 girls could mesh with the senior team in a few years, whether or not Marco Crespi will still be the coach.
Contrastingly to the men’s game, women’s basketball still depends more rigidly on traditional positions on the floor, with height and weight still representing a big advantage in the paint. Italy is far behind Eastern Europe countries in this regard, and until now hasn’t been able to keep the pace of Spain and France, nations where the game is more popular among girls – thus granting the national team access to a wider pool of players.
And yet, the 2002 golden generation has already flipped the script. Against Spain and their impressive frontcourt in the quarterfinals, for instance: more importantly, they have been able to overcome the “physicality issue” without having to rely on extreme measures, such as going all-in with three-point shooting. “Our priority, on offense, is to drive to the basket. When this is not possible, we work around the problem and find other solutions” said coach Riccardi.
Three years ago, in Udine, during the very first camp gathering the players of this cycle, some rumours suggested that the Federation itself was worried about the team’s upside, given its lack of height, and people were already running for cover, hoping to play it safe and avoid being demoted to Division B. The court told a very different story. In the last three years Italy has found a treasure of athletes who are already competing at the highest level of the domestic league (Panzera, Natali, Orsili, Gilli) and others who will shortly follow their lead. There’s every reason to hope the Fab Four and the rest of the golden generation will stay together, spreading their winning culture among the senior team’s ranks.
Italian women’s basketball needs their passion and strength to finally take off.
