EUROBASKET QUALIFIERS

Forward Danilo Gallinari led all Italy scorers with 13 points and added seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks

Italy broke away in the second quarter en route to a 63-53 away win over the Czech Republic that gave them a second win in Group F of the EuroBasket qualifiers.

The Italians built a lead before half-time and although it was rarely comfortable they did enough to hang on through the second half as the Czechs turned to the three-pointer and kept coming up empty.

The Czechs had enjoyed a 21-19 lead early in the second quarter, but Daniel Hackett's three for Italy sparked a 14-2 run that saw them lead 33-23 on Luigi Datome's lay-up before half-time.

The Czechs battled to keep the lead in the high single figures in the third quarter but could not find a way to cut into it, in large part thanks to some dismal shooting that saw them finish just 1-of-14 - just 7.1% - from distance.

Danilo Gallinari led Italy with 13 points while David Chiotti had 10.

Jakub Houska had 14 points for the Czechs while Petr Benda added 10.