ITA - Hackett's big chance

SIAULIAI (EuroBasket 2011) - Daniel Hackett's confidence is soaring as he makes his first-ever EuroBasket appearance for Italy.

It wasn't like that last year for the combo-guard, who played a leading role for the University of Southern California but spent a difficult rookie professional campaign with Benetton Treviso in 2009-10.

The 1.99m Hackett switched to Scavolini Pesaro and everything changed.

In 2010-11, Hackett played a lot more minutes at Pesaro, going from 18 to 28, and his scoring average jumped from just over four points per contest to more than 14.

"It was tremendous," Hackett said to FIBA.com.

"I had a chance to play in my home town.

"I had a chance to come out strong after a disappointing year in Treviso, so my confidence is high right now.

"Now I have a chance to play in the highest European competition, so it's great."

So what is Italy going to do at the EuroBasket?

This is a country that won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Can they make it to the London Games, something that would happen if they were to reach the Final of the 24-team EuroBasket?

Hackett, speaking before the game against Serbia on Wednesday, said he and his teammates would give everything.

"I think we have to take one game at a time," Hackett said of Group B in Siauliai.

“Serbia almost made the Final in the World Championship last year and they're really experienced and strong and have a great basketball tradition.

"But other teams like Germany, even Latvia, Israel and France are strong, so I think this is the toughest pool by far."

If they end up third, fourth, fifth or sixth, Italy will be invited to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

They went on to fall to Serbia, 80-68.

Hackett, however, was a bright spot for Italy, using his powerful body, quickness and leaping ability to attack the basket frequently and score seven points.

Everyone is equal

The team has star power, with NBA center Andrea Bargnani (Toronto Raptors), shooting guard Marco Belinelli (New Orleans Hornets) and forward Danilo Gallinari (Denver Nuggets) in this year’s squad.

There are questions about how Bargnani will cope against teams with big, strong pivots.

In Group B, Bargnani will go up against a Serbia team that has Nenad Krstic, Kosta Perovic and Boban Marjanovic.

France have Joakim Noah and Kevin Seraphin and Germany have plenty of size in Chris Kaman, Dirk Nowitzki and Tibor Pleiss.

Italy's backcourt will also be tested.

There is also the confidence factor, too.

The Azzurri haven't played in a major international tournament since EuroBasket 2007 in Spain, when they came up short of the Quarter-Finals.

If there were concerns that Italy might rely too much on their NBA trio, those were allayed against Serbia as Hackett more than held his own against the opposing guards.

"I think it's one of the secrets, if you want to build a strong team," he said.

"You want to put everyone on the same level and actually make everyone feel important.

"We have three unbelievable players in Andrea, Marco and Danilo, but the rest of the group is solid and we have to play with confidence.

“That's going to be one of the keys to elevate our level."

One cause for optimism is the presence of coach Simone Pianigiani, who is making his EuroBasket bow.

Pianigiani, 42, has been a huge hit in Italian basketball with Montepaschi Siena the past several years and it was only a matter of time before the country's basketball federation asked him to wear another hat as well, that of national team boss.

"His demeanor makes him special," Hackett said of the coach.

"He likes to win.

"He’s won for the past five years pretty much everything in Italy (with Montepaschi) and came close to winning the Euroleague last year.

"He's hungry, young and gets his point across.

"He tells things to the player's face, which is good, and he's actually a winner so we have to follow his lead and go with it."

Italy would welcome a big tournament from Hackett, whose father Rudy is an American that played professionally in Italy for Forli.

That is the city where Daniel was born six days before Christmas in 1987.

Hackett left Italy at the age of 15 to play high school ball in Los Angeles and he then received the scholarship to USC.

The 23-year-old is just glad that he had a dramatic turnaround this season and earned the chance to play at the EuroBasket.

"It's not (easy to make the national team), but it's not the first summer that I have worked with the national team," Hackett said.

"It's exciting being here and representing the country.

"Hopefully things will go well.

"We've been together for about a month and a half and while it's a grind - we stayed together up in the mountains and had two-a-day practices - it's been fun.

"We've got a solid group.

"We just have to keep the focus high. Our bodies are ready, we just have to keep our concentration and play with intensity.”

Jeff Taylor
FIBA