Italy and Slovenia will face each other in the fifth-place game of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 today. Both teams have impressed in the tournament, but fell short of reaching the semifinals. Here is a Dream11 team prediction for the ITA vs SLV match, along with some tips and stats.
Dream11 Team Prediction: ITA vs SLV
Point Guard: Luka Doncic, Marco Belinelli
Shooting Guard: Klemen Prepelic, Simone Fontecchio
Small Forward: Zoran Dragic, Alessandro Gentile
Power Forward: Nicolo Melli
Center: Mike Tobey
Captain: Luka Doncic
Vice-Captain: Simone Fontecchio
Dream11 Team Analysis: ITA vs SLV
Luka Doncic is a no-brainer pick for the captain spot, as he has been the best player in the World Cup so far. The Dallas Mavericks star is averaging a tournament-high 28.8 points, along with 9.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game. He has led Slovenia to its best-ever finish in the World Cup, and will look to end the campaign on a high note.
Simone Fontecchio is a good choice for the vice-captain spot, as he has been Italy’s leading scorer in the World Cup. The Utah Jazz forward is averaging 18.3 points per game, and has scored 30 points against Serbia and 26 points against Puerto Rico. He is also a reliable shooter from beyond the arc, making 2.5 threes per game at a 43.5% clip.
Klemen Prepelic and Zoran Dragic are two other Slovenian players who can contribute to the Dream11 team. Prepelic is averaging 15.5 points and 4.3 assists per game, while Dragic is averaging 14 points and 4 rebounds per game. Both players are capable of scoring in bunches, as they have shown in the wins over Spain and France.
Marco Belinelli, Alessandro Gentile, Nicolo Melli and Mike Tobey are four Italian players who can provide some value to the Dream11 team. Belinelli is a veteran guard who can score from anywhere on the court, averaging 13 points per game. Gentile is a versatile wing who can fill up the stat sheet, averaging 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Melli is a stretch-four who can space the floor and rebound, averaging 9 points and 6 rebounds per game. Tobey is a solid center who can protect the rim and finish inside, averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Match Preview: ITA vs SLV
Italy and Slovenia have both exceeded expectations in the World Cup, as they advanced to the quarterfinals with some impressive wins. Italy beat the host Philippines, Serbia and Puerto Rico in the group stage, while Slovenia beat defending champion Spain, Brazil and France.
However, both teams suffered defeats in the quarterfinals, as Italy lost to the United States by 32 points and Slovenia lost to Germany by two points. The loss was especially heartbreaking for Slovenia, as they missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Both teams will now play for pride and honor in the fifth-place game, which will be their last match in the World Cup. It will be an interesting matchup between two offensive-minded teams that love to shoot threes. Italy is averaging 91.5 points and 13 threes per game, while Slovenia is averaging 90 points and 12 threes per game.
The key factor in this game may be the fatigue level of Slovenia, as they played a tough game against Germany yesterday, while Italy had an extra day of rest. Slovenia may also have to deal with the emotional toll of losing such a close game, while Italy may have more motivation to bounce back from a blowout loss.
The game will tip off at 4:45 a.m. ET on Saturday from Manila.
