Buddy Hield and the Bahamas are a step nearer to the Paris Olympics. Luka Doncic and Slovenia are actually going through an uphill battle to get there.
Hield scored 24 factors, Valdez Edgecombe Jr. added 20 and the Bahamas beat Finland 96-85 on Tuesday within the first recreation of the Olympic qualifying match at Valencia, Spain.
“We grinded it out. Grinded out a win as we speak,” Hield mentioned. “Staying collectively, figuring it out. Sport of basketball is a recreation of runs. First half, we did not fairly determine it out.”
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The tournaments in Spain and Greece had been two of 4 that began on Tuesday to find out the final 4 spots within the males’s basketball area for the Paris Olympics. Different tournaments are being held in Latvia and Puerto Rico, each of them additionally beginning on Tuesday. Group play in any respect 4 websites continues by way of Thursday, with semifinal video games Saturday and 4 video games with Olympic berths on the road set for Sunday.
The Bahamas closed the sport on a 44-21 run over the ultimate 17 minutes, erasing what was a 12-point second-half deficit.
However for Slovenia, there was no comeback, in Piraeus, Greece, the place Croatia led by as many as 29 factors and rolled to a 108-92 win.
Doncic had 26 factors, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for Slovenia, whereas Croatia had a its personal triple-double – 19 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 assists – from Dario Saric, together with 21 factors from Goran Filipovic and 18 factors in 19 minutes from Ivica Zubac.
Croatia can qualify for the semifinals on Wednesday with a win over New Zealand. Slovenia should beat New Zealand on Thursday to have any likelihood of retaining its Olympic hopes alive.
“Croatia performed nice,” Doncic mentioned. “They outplayed us. … I’ve bought to play manner higher than this and we have got to play with manner higher vitality.”
Doncic was coping with accidents in the course of the NBA Finals when Dallas misplaced to Boston, and he was clearly laboring at instances on Tuesday as effectively. However he insisted he would preserve going.
“It is an honor for me to play for my nation,” Doncic mentioned. “Loads of instances, there’s going to be accidents. However I simply see a giant honor for me to play for my nation. We’re 2 million individuals and to characterize my nation, it means every thing to me.”
Deandre Ayton scored 19 and Eric Gordon added 16 for the Bahamas, who can advance to the qualifier’s knockout spherical by beating Poland on Wednesday. It’s an attention-grabbing combine for the Bahamas; three starters are NBA gamers, however the start line guard is Lourawls Nairn – a former Michigan State participant and now the affiliate head coach at Bowling Inexperienced.
“He is a coaches’ dream and I feel the gamers love taking part in with him,” Bahamas coach Chris DeMarco mentioned. “He undoubtedly belongs and he may very well be doing this for a dwelling, however he pursued a special profession.”
Mikael Jantunen and Edon Maxhuni every scored 20 for Finland, which faces Poland on Thursday.
Spain 104, Lebanon 59
At Valencia, host Spain rolled previous Lebanon behind 17 factors from Santi Aldama, 15 from Usman Garuba and 14 from Jaime Pradilla. Spain can wrap up a spot within the semifinals with a win over Angola on Wednesday.
Youssef Khayat scored 20 for Lebanon, which faces Angola on Thursday.
Brazil 81, Montenegro 72
Brazil trailed for many of the recreation however outscored Montenegro 29-16 within the fourth quarter to tug off the comeback in Riga, Latvia,
Bruno Caboclo had 25 factors and 9 rebounds for Brazil, whereas Marcelinho Huertas added 17 factors.
Nikola Vucevic led Montenegro with 17 factors and 13 rebounds.
Montenegro should beat Cameroon on Wednesday to maintain hopes of reaching the semifinals alive. Brazil faces Cameroon on Thursday.
Latvia 83, Georgia 55
Host Latvia outscored Georgia 28-11 within the second quarter to take full management and rolled to the opening win in Riga.
Arturs Strautins scored 18 factors on 5-for-5 taking pictures to guide a balanced Latvian scoring assault, whereas Mareks Mejeris scored 11 (additionally taking pictures 5-for-5) and Rolands Smits completed with 10.
Sandro Mamukelashvili led Georgia with 14 factors.
Latvia can clinch a semifinal spot by beating the Philippines on Wednesday. Georgia and the Philippines play on Thursday to shut the group spherical.
Dominican Republic 90, Egypt 77
In Piraeus, Jean Montero scored 17 factors, and the Dominican Republic used a 14-0 run spanning the top of the second quarter and begin of the third quarter to tug away from Egypt.
Chris Duarte scored 14 factors, Victor Liz had 12 and Angel Nunez completed with 11 for the Dominican Republic.
Ahmed Metwaly led Egypt with 24 factors.
The Dominican Republic can clinch a semifinal spot if it beats Greece on Wednesday. Egypt performs Greece on Thursday and should win to have any hope of advancing to the semifinals.
Italy 114, Bahrain 53
At San Juan, Puerto Rico, Danilo Gallinari and Nicolo Melli every scored 14 factors and Italy completed with seven gamers in double figures.
Ahmed Haji scored 12 factors to guide Bahrain, which gave up the sport’s ultimate 19 factors.
Bahrain should beat Puerto Rico on Wednesday to have any shot on the semifinals. Italy performs Puerto Rico on Thursday.
Lithuania 96, Mexico 84
At San Juan, Lithuania opened the second half on a 27-7 run that carried it to a gap win.
Marius Grigonis led the best way with 21 factors for Lithuania, whereas Tadas Sedekerskis added 12. Domantas Sabonis completed with 10 factors and 11 rebounds.
Joshua Ibarra scored 18 for Mexico.
Lithuania would attain Saturday’s semifinals with a win over Ivory Coast on Wednesday. Mexico performs Ivory Coast on Thursday, prone to resolve one other semifinal berth.
