The basketball team of Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Italy in the qualification for the 2027 World Cup with a score of 78:76.
BiH basketball players celebrated in a dramatic finish, in which the Italians stood on the free throw line twice a second before the end and had the last attack.
BiH reversed in the first half
Italy opened the match better and after a little more than two minutes of the game they led 6:3, but BiH soon caught the rhythm. The guests had the advantage in the first quarter, but the team selected by coach Dario Gjergje managed to make a turnaround at the end of the first period.
After ten minutes of the game BiH led 18:17, and the home team was especially good at the end of the quarter, when Amar Gegić and Adin Vrabac scored.
In the second period, BiH continued to increase its advantage. Kenan Kamenjaš scored in transition for 20:17, after which Italy requested a time-out. Jusuf Nurkić then scored with a foul at 24:19, while Edin Atić stole the ball and scored at 28:19, which forced the Italians to a new time-out.
Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to maintain the advantage in the second quarter, and Nurkić scored in the 19th minute for 34:25. Fontecchio then made three free throws, but BiH kept the lead until the break.
Nurkić led the Dragons in the continuation
The third quarter again brought problems to our team. After Kamenjaš and Amar Alibegović increased the advantage at the beginning of the period, the Italians managed to close to only two points behind in the second part of the third quarter (43:41).
In those moments, Bosnia and Herzegovina tried to solve the attacks with shots for three points, which the guests used to get back into the game. However, the end of the third quarter belonged to the local basketball players.
On the wings of Jusuf Nurkić, Bosnia and Herzegovina made a run and again took a seven-point advantage (50:43). Nurkić already had a double-double performance, with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Drama at the end of the match
BiH entered the last quarter with a four-point advantage, and real drama followed. The local basketball players showed great fighting spirit and, led by Nurkić, Kamenjaš and Garza, managed to maintain the advantage.
Seven minutes before the end, Bosnia and Herzegovina was leading 64:57, but the Italians took advantage of several bad attacks and five minutes before the end they came within two points (64:62).
In those moments, Nurkić took responsibility and maintained the advantage of the BiH national team with his points. However, Italy managed to make a turnaround in the very end.
With Melli’s triple, the Italians took a 73:72 lead, which was their first lead after the end of the first quarter. However, BiH’s response was spectacular.
Alibegović hit a three-pointer for 75:73 and caused an eruption of enthusiasm in the stands of Mejdan, and then Nurkić also scored to increase the lead.
Italy had the last attack
Real drama followed in the finish. Bosnia and Herzegovina had a three-point advantage with a second to go, and Tonut missed both free throws. However, Nurkić fouled Niang on the jump, so the Italians received two more penalties. Niang scored the first, but committed a foul on the second, so the ball went to the BiH team.
This was followed by another mistake by Atić when throwing the ball in from the outside, so the Italians got the chance to try to win with a three-pointer six hundredths before the end. Fortunately, they did not do the best with the throw-in and the victory went to the BiH selection.
Jusuf Nurkić was the most efficient in the ranks of BiH with 25 points and 14 rebounds, while Kenan Kamenjaš with 13 and Luka Garza with 10 points made a significant contribution.
For Italy, Simone Fontecchio and Nico Mannion were the most effective with 14 points each.
BiH will play their next match on Monday, when they will face off against Lithuania, which was defeated by Turkey tonight with 94:66. In the third match in the group, Serbia defeated Latvia 102:73.
Turkey is first in the table with a maximum performance of 7-0, followed by Serbia and Italy with a ratio of 5-2 and Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland with a ratio of 3-4, Fena writes.
