Video: Italy-Canada match ends in basketball brawl
The senior national teams from Italy and Canada participated in a “friendly” game Saturday night that ended in a brawl between the two teams (discuss)
Physical play between Italy’s Stefano Mancinelli and Canada’s Aaron Doornekamp at the end of the game prompted the fight between the two teams. After being pushed, Mancinelli delivers an elbow to the back of the Doornekamp’s head.
Italy goes on to defeat Canada 81-75, led by Marco Belinelli’s 22 points. Team Canada was paced by Jesse Young’s 27 points.
Belinelli and Andrea Bargnani will suit up for the Toronto Raptors, Canada’s only NBA franchise, next season and are seen in the video trying to diffuse the situation between the two teams.
Italian team captain Matteo Soragna apologized on the Italy’s behalf after the game, “I am sorry that it happened. The team has responded as one and that is a positive, although we did not want the incident to happen.”
This was the second match between the two teams. Italy had defeated Canada 91-69 last week in the Trentino Cup and played each other again in preparation for upcoming tournament games..
On August 5th, Italy will face France on their quest to qualify for the Eurobasket tournament. While Canada is preparing for the Tournament of the Americas that begins on August 26, 2009.
This is the second fight in as many weeks that has occured in a “friendly” game. A brawl between Iran and Jordan erupted during the William Jones Cup last month that eventually cost Jordan the Cup championship.
I went to a basketball game and a hockey game broke out ! BTW: Head coach of Canadian head coach is the Toronto Raptors colour commentary !
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Leave it to the Ital to sucker punch! Itals are scum bags!
August 4th, 2009 at 6:38 am
that was just a f’in dirty play from that italian shi!t that was uncalled for..btw no matter how italy play and no matter how many nba players they have they will suck at fiba europe believe that..
August 4th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
That is just hilarious! Canada and Italy in a basketball brawl bahaha. Poor Doornekamp gettin sucker punched after playing hard… that Italian player is a sore winner. And when will Basketball Canada kick Leo Rautins out of that coaching position? He f*#ked up olympic qualifying for Canada last year, favors his son (on the team) before other players, and has relatively ZERO coaching experience. We’d do better with Carleton Coach Dave Smart or the Canadian coach from the Raptors.
August 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 am