Friday's Top 5 Players at Turin OQT
TURIN (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Semi-Finals day at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Turin saw a number of players stand above the rest.
TURIN (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Semi-Finals day at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Turin saw a number of players stand above the rest.
FIBA.com takes a closer look at the Top 5 Performers from Friday's Turin OQT action.
#FIBAOQT Turin Semi-Final Day Top Performers: @marcobelinelli, @44Bojan, D.Saric, @gallinari8888 and N.Melli! pic.twitter.com/HFjXv5nEo2
— FIBA (@FIBA) July 8, 2016
Marco Belinelli
After picking up 2 fouls in the first 8 minutes of the game, he was benched for the rest of the first half. He made an immediate impact when he returned after the break, scoring 8 of his 12 points in the third quarter in helping Italy pull away for good in a convincing win over Mexico.
Bojan Bogdanovic
While he didn't have a great shooting night - 6-of-17 from the field, including 2-of-8 from three-point range - on his way to a 20-point outburst, it was his clutch baskets and free-throws late in the third quarter and in the final frame that helped Croatia avoid losing to Greece after having built up - and surrendered - a 24-point first half lead.
Dario Saric
Croatia's versatile forward had 16 points and 8 rebounds. Like Bogdanovic he scored at timely junctures of the game and just as importantly, was a big reason why Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 9 points on 3-of-14 shooting.
Danilo Gallinari
With Belinelli unable to contribute on offense due to foul trouble, it was 'Gallo' who carried Italy's scoring load in the first half, going for 15 points, including a 3-of-5 shooting display from beyond the arc.
Nicolo Melli
Italy's reserve big man gave his team a huge boost off the bench, going 6-of-7 from the field on his way to 14 points. He also had 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block and a ton of energy, the last of which Mexico had no answer for.
FIBA