Wheelchair basketball: Italy's feat, defeating the United States at the World Championships

Italy achieved a historic feat on the third day of the Wheelchair Basketball World Cup, defeating the reigning world and Paralympic champions, the United States, with a score of 66 to 59. The match, played at an extremely high level, was won by the Azzurri precisely in the final quarter, despite having maintained the lead for all 40 minutes of play.

The top scorer for the Italian team was Giulio Maria Papi with 19 points, followed by Giaretti with 18 and Carossino with 11. Coach Castellucci commented at the buzzer: "It was a truly important victory, both for how it came about and for its value within the tournament." Papi added: "It's my first victory against the United States, and we are really satisfied."

With this win, Italy has qualified for the round of 16, where they will face Argentina, in a rematch of the clash that eliminated the Azzurri in the 2018 World Cup. The match is scheduled for 10:45 PM Italian time.

Wheelchair basketball is the Paralympic version of basketball, played by athletes with physical disabilities who use specialized wheelchairs. The World Championships of this sport represent the most important tournament after the Paralympic Games, and the United States is considered one of the strongest teams in the world, being both the reigning world champions and Paralympic champions.

This victory by Italy over the United States marks only the second win in official matches in the history of the Italian national team. The first dates back to the 2014 Incheon World Championships, when Italy won 56-41 during the group stage. Since then, Italian wheelchair basketball has undergone a steady growth journey under the guidance of coach Castellucci.

The Italian national team is showing significant progress in this World Cup, as highlighted by Papi himself: "We are growing match after match." The challenge against Argentina in the round of 16 represents an opportunity for redemption after the elimination suffered in the 2018 World Cup, when the team was led by coach Di Giusto. The victory against the United States now gives the Italian team the chance to aim for even more ambitious goals in the tournament.