With their 83-72 win over Canada at the Islas Malvinas Sports Center in Mar del Plata on Thursday night, The Argentine basketball team took a key step to ensure its qualification for the next World Cup, to which he will access if he beats the Dominican Republic on Sunday, also in the spa city. Even Pablo Prigioni’s team will be able to celebrate their ticket to the meeting in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia with a loss against the Dominicans if some other results are combined.
With Facundo Campazzo as leader and figure of the team, Argentina took the unbeaten record from the already classified Canadians, who arrived in Mar del Plata with a formation decimated by the absence of their NBA players and those who participate in the Euroleague. Pablo Prigioni’s team sustained the victory in the contribution of Cordoba point guard, who led the team with 13 points and 11 assists, well supported by Carlos Delfino, author of 12 points, and Marcos Delía, who collaborated with 10 points.
Thanks to the victory Argentina improved its record to eight wins and three losses, sharing second place with Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, although he loses the eventual tiebreaker with the Venezuelans -with the Dominican Republic he cannot match because they face each other on the last date-. That’s why, If he beats the Central Americans, he will get into the top three in the zone and get his ticket. World Cup, regardless of what happens on Sunday between Venezuela and qualifier Canada.
What happens if Argentina loses?
Prigioni’s team would have to start using the calculator if they lose to the Dominicans, since it would finish in fourth position in the zone, even if Venezuela also loses to Canada. According to the regulations, the first three of each group and the best fourth secure the World Cup place. So, Argentina should look askance at zone Fwhich has the United States as the only qualifier and Puerto Rico, Mexico and Brazil tied with seven wins and four falls.
Considering the hypothetical defeat of Argentina, the Albiceleste team would need one of the three rivals to lose. Puerto Rico visits Colombia, Mexico does the same with Uruguay and Brazil receives the United States. With at least one of them losing, the classification would be assured. However, In the scenario that all three win, the National Team would lose in the hypothetical tiebreaker with Brazil, which would be the room in the other area. Then, would run out of the World Cup.
driver’s word
After the victory against the Canadians, Campazzo assured that the team “was intelligent and was very focused” throughout the duel. “We played a good game. We started maybe a little fast, anxious, but then we were smart and we were focused, especially in defense.”analyzed the former Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks player in the NBA.
“The best was seen when we knew how to control the rhythm of the game at many times, there was a good selection of shots and the attack was fast”added Campazzo, current Red Star Belgrade player, who scored 13 points and gave 11 assists against the Canadians. “It is a very important victory and now to think about Sunday”, expressed the former player Peñarol, facing the cross against the Dominican Republic on Sunday on the same stage.
Prigioni’s analysis
“We haven’t achieved anything yet, so we have to keep gritting our teeth,” Prigioni stressed after the success over the Canadians, from whom they took away their undefeated record in 10 games. “One of the keys to the approach was to limit Canada’s three-point shots and for many moments they could control it”added the coach, who appreciated the performance of his players.
“We suffered a bit on the rebounds. Defensively, Canada pressed all over the court and slowed down the offensive rhythm but, in the end, the boys defended, they were able to run, we made the difference and We made important shots at a time when the game could have been complicated”explained the Cordovan, who analyzed the key commitment against the Dominicans. “It will be a game that will present many difficulties, with many defensive changes”explained
“The objective was always to go one game at a time. We have achieved the first, let’s see if we can achieve the second. Nothing has been achieved yet. We have to keep our teeth clenched to continue playing a little better than we did today,” Prigioni concluded.