Edoardo Di Meo buried a three-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining in overtime to send Italy's Under-18 side into their first-ever European Championship final with a dramatic 80-77 victory over France at the BTS Arena in Trento.
Italy had trailed by 14 points with five minutes left in regulation before a 15-1 run, powered by Gabriele Lastella, Cheickh Niang and Federico Bottelli, tied the game inside the final minute. Neither side could find a winner in regulation, so the contest went to overtime. Yimga opened the extra period with five straight points for France, but Di Meo answered from deep and Acunzo's free throws put Italy up 71-69. The closing 100 seconds swung wildly: Diaby Cisse hit from three, Bottelli held his nerve at the line, and Di Meo's triple with 40 seconds left made it 76-74. A Niang steal then drew an unsportsmanlike foul, though the free throw missed, and Mathis Letailleur's triple with one second left appeared to force a second overtime. After a timeout, Di Meo received the inbounds pass and launched the winning shot, sending the BTS Arena into raptures.
Di Meo finished as the hero with 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc. Niang contributed 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Bottelli added 16 points and four boards, and Lastella chipped in 14. Acunzo scored just two points but grabbed 13 rebounds with five assists and three blocks.