Italy thrash Angola at Basketball World Cup

FOSHAN: An Angola player aimed a vicious headbutt at an opponent as Italy thrashed the Africans 92-61 to all but reach round two of the Basketball World Cup on Monday.

Italy look in ominous form, hammering the Philippines 108-62 in their opener before handing out more punishment to the Angolans in the southern Chinese city of Foshan. But there was a flashpoint involving all the players from both teams with seconds left of the match after Leonel Paulo and Alessandro Gentile clashed.

The 26-year-old Gentile shoved Paulo and the latter responded in kind, before appearing to make contact with the Italian’s nose with a headbutt.Marco Belinelli of the San Antonio Spurs racked up 17 points and Kentucky-born Jeff Brooks also starred for Italy with 11 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.

Also in Group D, Serbia—who are some people’s favourites to snatch the title held by the United States—play the Philippines later on Monday.Serbia and Italy will face up on Wednesday in what promises to be a blockbuster for group supremacy.

“Serbia are the best team in the tournament but we are not scared about that,” said the 33-year-old guard Belinelli.Argentina also made it two wins out of two as they defeated Nigeria—touted by some as possible surprise packages before the World Cup — 94-81 in Group B.