The Argentine basketball team took the undefeated record from Canada, which they defeated 83-72, at the Islas Malvinas Sports Center, in Mar del Plata, for the last window of the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers for Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, but They have not yet qualified for that ecumenical event, so they will have to beat the Dominican Republic on Sunday, in the same scenario as this Thursday, to achieve that goal.
To directly access the World Cup through Group E, the team led by Pablo Prigioni needed not only to beat the Canadians, who were already classified and that is why they came to Mar del Plata without their NBA players, but also for Puerto Rico or Mexico to lose in their respective commitments as visitors from Brazil and Colombia.
But there was no case, although the Central Americans were the ones that were closest to succumbing, but after a great game they ended up beating the Brazilians by 92 to 90, while the Mexicans overwhelmed the Colombians by almost 60 points: 113 to 54 .
? Key step towards the World Cup
Next Sunday we go for the classification in the Poli! ?#VISAMainSponsor pic.twitter.com/Sl7adi4FV5
– Argentina Basketball (@cabboficial) February 24, 2023
Given this scenario, Argentina now has eight victories against three losses, the same as the Dominican Republic, which tonight comfortably won as a visitor to Panama by 93 to 67.
The first three in each zone, plus the best fourth, qualify for the World Cup. Canada holds a record of 10 wins and one loss, which Argentina gave them just tonight.
The Argentine team consolidated their victory from the second quarter, since the first ended losing by 18 to 17. The first 9 points of the albiceleste team were the work of their greatest figure, the Cordovan point guard Facundo Campazzo, who on his return to Mar del Plata, where he is an idol of Peñarol, displayed his entire repertoire of conversions, errands and assists.
Absolute magic ? @facucampazzo ? @bolmaroleandro ? @juampivaulet #FIBAWC | #WinForArgentina | @cabboficial pic.twitter.com/euToZwciWM
— FIBA Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) February 24, 2023
And precisely by his hand, the current Red Star player, from Belgrade, began to build the victory in the second round of the match, which the Argentines ended up taking 40-31, registering a 23-13 run.
Of course, the development matched again with the start of the second half, which would end with a tight partial in favor of the locals by 21-19, which would slightly increase the difference for a closing of the third quarter with Argentina leading by 61 to 50.
But despite the fact that the difference was not that wide, there was already a feeling of consummated victory for the fans who packed Malvinas Argentinas at the start of the last quarter, in which their palms reddened again to applaud a Campazzo who established himself as the figure of the night with a double-double, converting 13 points and delivering 10 assists. The other scorer with the same amount was Nicolás Brussino.
In this way, all the roads to the World Cup must now move towards what will happen next Sunday, at 9:10 p.m., again at the Mar del Plata Sports Center, against the Dominican Republic, with the inexcusable need to achieve a new victory so as not to depend on any result
No look pass @bolmaroleandro ? @juampivaulet ?#FIBAWC | #WinForArgentina | @cabboficial pic.twitter.com/4ZezWbwE6q
— FIBA Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) February 24, 2023
