Italy vs Angola FIBA World Cup 2023, August 25: Date, time, where to watch, live stream details and more

Italy vs. Angola will open the 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament at the expansive Philippine Arena in Bulacan, Philippines on Aug. 25. After what is expected to be a vibrant and culturally rich opening ceremony, the Italians and Angolans will duke it out for the competition's first win.

Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio, the Italians' leading scorer, will be at the forefront of the team’s campaign. Backing him up will be veterans Luigi Datome, Nicolo Melli, Giampaolo Ricci and Stefano Tonut.

Coach Gianmarco Pozzecco will be fielding largely the same squad that shocked Serbia in the Round of 16 in EuroBasket 2022. The Italians also forced the powerhouse French team to overtime in the quarterfinals last year before eventually losing.

Italy will be looking to reach at least the semifinals of this event and earn their first podium finish.

Angola was one of the oldest teams in the 2019 World Cup in China. Several of those old legends have retired, making way for a new generation of players to carry the team to unprecedented heights.

Leading the Angolans will be Atlanta Hawks big man Bruno Fernando. He will anchor the team in the middle along with Jilson Bango and Silvio Sousa. While Fernando is the only NBA talent, some have claimed that Bango could soon follow in his footsteps in the big league.

The Angolans will bank on their defense, which allowed just 60.5 points per game in the African qualifiers to push them to the 2023 FIBA World Cup. That defense will be tested immediately by the chemistry, skills and experience of the Italians.

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Italy vs. Angola game details

Date: August 25, 2023

Time: 4:00 AM ET (4:00 PM Philippine time)

Venue: Philippine Arena (Bulacan, Philippines)

After months of preparation, the 2023 FIBA World Cup opening game is down to hours. Italy and Angola will be looking to get their respective campaigns going with a big win to start the tournament.

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Where to watch

The game will be available via FIBA’s official streaming channel Courtside 1891. ONE SPORTS + in the Philippines will also air the game live.

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What to expect in the Italy vs. Angola game

The Italians are an experienced side that just had a successful 2022 EuroBasket campaign. The Angolans, meanwhile, will be parading a younger and relatively inexperienced lineup compared to past teams that competed in FIBA tournaments.

If Italy gets off to a quick start, the Africans’ nerves will be tested. Angola will need to keep the game close for a chance to pull an upset against the 10th-ranked Italians.

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