Garri: «The magical night I stopped Stoudemire in 2004»
TORTONA. There were those in the locker room before the match who bet on losing by sixty points. The most pessimistic was Bulleri, someone thought they could get by with a margin of twenty. It was August 3, 2004, a historic date for the Italian national basketball team because twelve years ago the USA Dream Team was defeated in a friendly match in Cologne 95-78. And in that Italian expedition, which then won the silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, together with Basile, Galanda, Pozzecco, Soragna, Chiacig and Righetti there was also Luca Garri. In the locker room, the Derthona center talks about the quiet pre-match because the match with the American stars seemed to be sealed. In that Dream Team selection there were Iverson (in his prime), Duncan, Anthony (the only survivor who will also participate in Rio 2016), Marbury and rookies Wade and James. «The general idea was not to make a bad impression, none of us had ever met them before – recalls Garri – There was an atmosphere like a classic NBA match, super choreography and a beautiful Cologne arena. I was close to Righetti in the locker room." The Derthona center sets foot on the pitch while Iverson enters the court on the other side. "I had a sort of fear, during the warm-up we spent more time looking at them than warming up." The unapproachable NBA stars, «you can't say two words, they live in another world», clash on the field against an Italian national team in a state of grace. When there are 8 minutes remaining in the first half, Garri misses a stop and shot, but then the action happens that will be his best memory of Cologne. The Lions' center stops Stoudemire (who will play for Hapoel Jerusalem next year, but in 2004 he averaged 20 in Phoenix). «He wanted to dunk, but he didn't see me because I was behind – he says – I went to make a foul and got the full ball. I also remember Pozz's no look for Chiacig while looking at the spectators. When I came in I was marking Anthony." Among the big NBA players there was also the legend of Garri, Tim Duncan, the most European of the US players. «Long-limbed, not very athletic, but incredible technique and timing for blocks and rebounds». The dream becomes reality, it ends 95-78, and in Cologne twelve years ago one of Italy's most important basketball victories took place. «Coach Recalcati when we returned to the locker room he didn't know what to say to us».
