MADRID, 21 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Argentine basketball team was eliminated this morning from the Olympic pre-qualifier, after losing (82-75) in the final of the tournament against Bahamas, which leaves the ‘Albiceleste’ out of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the first to be lost Argentines since Sydney 2000.
Pablo Prigioni’s team couldn’t beat the Bahamian team, led by three top-level NBA players, Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield and Phoenix Suns guard and center Eric Gordon and Deandre Ayton. The Caribbeans already managed to prevail in the preliminary phase by a resounding 101-89.
The South American team remained ahead during the first three quarters, led by the great performance of Real Madrid players Facundo Campazzo (14 points and 17 assists) and Gabriel Deck (21 points and 6 rebounds). But the injury to point guard Luca Vildoza in the semifinals left the whites very alone this morning, and in the last quarter both showed physical exhaustion.
In the last quarter, the Bahamian dominance was total and with some very successful Gordon (27 points) and Hield (15), added to Ayton’s dominance under the hoops (10 points and 21 rebounds), certified the surprise of Bahamas, who will fight in the next pre-Olympic for being in Paris.