Iceland vs Italy

Hlinason's three fouls in the first quarter were decisive. Iceland's 7-foot-1 centre — their primary interior presence — was forced to the bench for extended stretches, which allowed Tessitori to operate freely in the paint. Italy exploited this mismatch relentlessly, and the Icelandic defence never recovered its structure.

Amedeo Tessitori (Italy) — Dominant in the paint, Tessitori was the leading scorer at half-time and consistently finished through contact. His ability to score with Hlinason sidelined shifted the game's entire geometry.

Gabriele Procida (Italy) — Changed the game's energy with a spectacular dunk-and-foul play in the second quarter, injecting pace and confidence that Italy rode through the decisive run.

Tommaso Baldasso (Italy) — Delivered timely threes and a reverse layup when Iceland threatened a comeback in the fourth quarter. His 29 points in the friendly against Croatia and 16 against Slovenia had already signalled his form.

Stefano Tonut (Italy) — Continuous threat throughout, finishing with a forceful and-one in transition that pushed Italy past 100 points.

Ramondino used all 12 available players, a testament to Italy's depth and control.

Italy's 102 points marked the second time they have crossed the century mark in these qualifiers (93-57 vs Great Britain in February). The 19-point margin was their largest in the group stage and a stark contrast to the 5-point home loss to Iceland in November. The quarter scores — 25-27, 46-58, 62-84, 83-102 — show a game that was progressively controlled, not a flurry. Italy's efficiency from two-point range was a decisive factor, with Tessitori and the frontcourt converting at a high rate once Hlinason's foul trouble removed the primary rim protector.

Italy finish the First Round group stage with a 3-1 record (7 points), level with Lithuania atop Group D. Both teams advance to the Second Round, carrying forward their results against the other qualified teams from Group C. The result also eliminates Iceland, who finish 2-2 (6 points) and end their World Cup qualifying campaign.

Italy's next fixture is against Lithuania on Sunday 5 July at the Virtus Arena in Bologna (20:00 local time), a top-of-the-group clash that will determine seeding for the Second Round. Iceland's campaign concludes following the remaining group fixtures.

Italy arrived in Reykjavik needing a result and delivered their most complete performance of the qualifiers. Ramondino's rotation and tactical response to Hlinason's foul trouble turned a potential banana skin into a statement win. The test against Lithuania on Sunday will reveal whether this level can be sustained against tougher opposition.