Photo: FIBA

Simone Fontecchio etched his name in Italian basketball history by delivering a record-breaking performance at FIBA EuroBasket 2025.

The 29-year-old forward erupted for 39 points in Italy’s 96-79 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, setting a new single-game scoring mark for the Azzurri in the competition.

In a dazzling display of shooting, Fontecchio knocked down seven triples and dominated from start to finish, surpassing Andrea Bargnani’s previous record of 36 points, set against Latvia at EuroBasket 2011.

His offensive explosion included 21 points in the first half alone, while he also contributed 8 rebounds and 3 assists to complete a masterclass performance.

This scoring outburst was especially significant given Fontecchio’s slow start to the tournament. In Italy’s opening night loss to Greece, he was held to just 4 points after missing his first 10 shots and finishing 1-of-11 from the field.

He began to find rhythm with 14 points in Italy’s second game before exploding in his third outing.

Reflecting on his turnaround, Fontecchio explained that he never lost confidence despite the poor opener: “I really wasn’t worried about my performance. Of course I wasn’t happy but I knew it would come at some point so I wasn’t really stressed about it.”

He admitted there was some frustration, but emphasized the nature of basketball: “I was mad a little bit but it’s part of the game, part of life. You cannot always score 40 points or 20 points every game. I am not a machine.”

Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, he was simply unstoppable, hitting 13 of 20 shots overall, including 7 of 10 from deep. With that, Fontecchio not only carried Italy to a crucial group-stage victory but also cemented his place in the record books.

The new mark adds him to an illustrious list of Italian scorers at EuroBasket, with legends such as Bargnani, Antonello Riva, and Danilo Gallinari all below him in the rankings.

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