Alessandro Gentile and Nicolò Melli started today the training camp with the National Team before the European Championships scheduled to take place in Slovenjia next September. Today was media day. Then the trip to Folgari where things are going to become serious. Both Olimpia’s players are virtually beginners: for them it would be the first apperance with Italy in one of the top international competition. Both won the silver medal with the Under 20 team two summers ago in Spain. Gentile, 20, is the youngest among the 17 players picked (19 if you consider also Riccardo Moraschini and Daniele Magro who are going to practice with the team), Melli is the third youngest (same year of birth of Achille Polonara who’s some months younger). Gentile has played only two games with the “Azzurri”, scoring 23 points combined. Melli has had 9 appearances with 42 points scored. Retained on the coaching staff also Mario Fioretti, an assistant coach for Olimpia too. The team will play its first exhibition game in Trento, on August 7, on September 2 it’ll move to Portorose in Slovenjia and the first game in the Eurochampionship will be on September 4, at 9 pm against Russia, in Capodistria. Turkey, Finland, Greece and Sweden are part of the same group. The first five teams will qualify also to the 2014 World Championships. The first six if Spain will be in top five.

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