00:03Last year, Cecilia Zondolazzini drove Italy to its first FIBA Women's Eurobasket medal in 30 years.
00:11Now, she's ended another long wait.
00:14Step back three for Zondolazzini!
00:18And what a bucket from your veteran!
00:22Leading her nation to its first World Cup berth since 1994.
00:27What a game by Team Italy! They came in the underdogs and stamped their ticket, the 2026 World Cup!
00:38Zondolazzini starred for Italy at the qualifying tournament in San Juan earlier this year,
00:43earning a place on the All-Star 5 after delivering 14 points a game.
00:48Cecilia Zondolazzini! That's what you want for your veteran!
00:52And saving her best for when it mattered most, with 22 in an upset win over Spain
00:58that sealed the Azzurres' place at September's tournament in Berlin.
01:02Cecilia Zondolazzini! Doing what she does best!
01:07She is so skilled, so strong, and finishes so well at the rim through contact.
01:14She was far from alone, though.
01:16Guard Francesca Pazza, playmaker Costanza Verona, and center Lorella Kubai
01:21among those providing important contributions throughout
01:25as Italy closed the tournament with a 4-1 record.
01:31It built on the momentum of Italy's run at Eurobasket last year,
01:35which included Zondolazzini hitting the winning basket in overtime against Turquie.
01:41It's Zondolazzini! She turns!
01:44And gets it to go, finally!
01:46And a 20-point effort to push her team past France in the third-place game.
01:52The bronze medal representing Italy's best finish since taking silver in 1995.
01:57And the Italians have done it! Remarkable scenes!
02:00They have come from Bologna, and really, they have shocked Perez!
02:05They have reached the podium!
02:10But perhaps just as special was the group phase,
02:13played in front of a home crowd in Bologna
02:15as Italy's 3-0 start set the tone for its historic run.
02:20Spins, fades, oh!
02:23Chattini is at the scene in the game!
02:25Oh!
02:26Absolutely!
02:27Oh, a crossover!
02:30Zondolazzini, open in the slot!
02:33Three, good!
02:35Zondolazzini!
02:36In Bologna, there were a lot of people, you know, coming and seeing us,
02:41which brings, you know, the momentum towards this team
02:45and towards women's basketball in general in Italy.
02:49So, as everybody can say, a nation like to grow in its national team to win games
02:56and to win as much as possible in international competition.
03:00So, I think we are in a good path.
03:10Zondolazzini has continued that work, growing the game in her homeland,
03:14spending this past season with Famalasquio,
03:16helping it win the Lega Basket Feminile title,
03:19before returning to the United States for her fifth WNBA season
03:23and second with the Golden State Valkyries.
03:29And with the World Cup approaching in September,
03:32it won't be long before Zondolazzini swaps her Valkyries jersey for the Azzurri once more.
03:47The Italians will tip off in Berlin against Czechia,
03:51playing its first World Cup in 12 years,
03:53before facing the two finalists from 2022,
03:57defending champion United States and silver medalist China.
04:01It will be a challenging group,
04:02but for a team that has already ended two long waits in the past year,
04:06the best may be yet to come.
04:10Zondolazzini is going to force things a little bit.
04:13When you have that level of ability,
04:15Zondolazzini with another three goals.
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