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25 August, 2023
10 September
02/03/2022
News
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Top 10 World Cup Qualifiers games in Window 2

MIES (Switzerland) - If you wanted drama, you got it. If you wanted eyeopening passes, clutch shots and sensational swats, you got it.

The February window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers had it all, including a giant Icelander that played with a Shaq-like performance in a double overtime win over Italy, and a Croatian sensation measuring just 1.80m in height who got so hot that he made all five of his three-pointers in another double overtime triumph.

Here are the 10 games that we believe were the most compelling, most thrilling and most fascinating in the second window.

Iceland 107 Italy 105, Double OT


If Iceland was, before their first European Qualifiers game against Italy, the Land of Fire and Ice because of its volcanoes and glaciers, it's since be renamed the Land of Strákarnir okkar, the nickname of the men's national team (which translates to "Our Boys").  In the Hafnarfjordur arena on February 24, the biggest boy of all, 2.15m (7ft 1in) center Tryggvi Hlinason, dunked his way to 34 points and also had 21 rebounds and blocked five shots and Iceland stunned the Azzurri.

Tunisia 64 South Sudan 72


To be the best, you have to beat the best. And South Sudan did that, knocking off two-time defending FIBA AfroBasket champions Tunisia! They dazzled in Dakar, taking the lead for good in the second quarter and sparkling like the Bright Stars they are. While they had audacious dunks, Mareng Gatkuoth's 4 of 5 day from 3-point land probably made the difference. Needless to say, everyone back in Juba was jumping for joy.

Jordan 74 Lebanon 63


There was a lot to like about this triumph for Jordan, who led for virtually the entire game. Big man Ahmad Al Dwairi had 11 points and 12 rebounds and two others almost had double-doubles. Freddy Ibrahim had 11 assists to go with his nine points and returning veteran Zaid Abbas weighed in with 11 points and nine boards. The player that swung the biggest axe to cut down the Cedars was Dar Tucker, who drilled four 3-balls and had 29 points!

Bosnia and Herzegovina 77 Lithuania 78


In a spellbinding, back-and-forth showdown that had every fan in Tuzla on the edge of the seat for 40 minutes, Lithuania won the battle of 2-0 teams. With their own amazing traveling fans behind one basket, the boys from the Baltics played like a mean, green, yellow and red machine to spoil the party. Deep threat Osvaldas Olisevicius (4 of 8), all-rounder Arnas Butkevicius and astute, tactically sound and "make-adjustments-on-the-fly" head coach Kazys Maksvytis were the heroes in this one.

 Canada 85 Dominican Republic 79


The white hot surrounds of Santo Domingo is where fans give their players the winning edge,  yet it was a cool, calm and collected Canada took care of business in this one. The guards were terrific, beating fierce defensive pressure with drives to the basket. Trae Bell-Haynes, Kassius Robertson, Kaza Kajami-Keane and  Phil Scrubb combined for 46 points. It also helped the Dominicans fell flat the free-throw line, making an alarming 24 of 44 (54.5%).

Greece  72 Turkey 71


When the Greeks take on the 12 Giant Men, it's always intense, always a drama, always spectacular - like the Dogus Özdemiroglu buzzer-beater from half-court! After erupting for 27 second-quarter points with alley-oop king Georgios Papagiannis dunking his way to most of his 14 points, Greece looked to be in command yet they lost their focus and the game turned into a drama. Turkey stormed back, overcoming a 15-point deficit, however, a careless, unnecessary foul in the backcourt with just seconds remaining put Kostas Papanikolaou on the line and the veteran made both free-throws before the largest-ever crowd in a European Qualifiers game of 14,500 to give Greece victory.

Iran 69 Kazakhstan 73


With 2:42 remaining, Iran were in a familiar place, knotted at 64-64 after a clutch jump shot by Sajjad Mashayekhi and good bets to win in front of the Tehran faithful. Kazakhstan had other ideas. Nikolay Bazhin, in the midst of his best game with the national team after burying 6 of 12 from deep, this time went up strong for a layup and two of his team-high 23 points and undefeated Kazakstan stayed in front the rest of the way to take a giant step towards World Cup qualification.

Cuba 62 Puerto Rico 65


As Caribbean clashes go, this was a cracker. And Jezreel was... for real! Jezreel De Jesus poured in 21 points, scoring on an array of dazzling drives and breathtaking jump shots, as the Boricuas won, barely. Cuba shot themselves in the foot, making just 7 of 17 at the free-throw line, spurned a few chances late to take the lead and even missed a potential game-tying 3-ball at the death.

Congo DR 62 Senegal 57


The Congolese, No. 81 team in the FIBA World Ranking - 47 spots below Senegal - gave themselves a chance at pulling off the biggest upset of the African Qualifiers by challenging the Lions at the rim from the off. That was with drives to bucket, offensive rebounds and put-back dunks and with defense.  By game's end, Senegal had struggled to find any consistency from the perimeter while  Rodrigue Ebondo Tambwe was perfect for Congo DR, scoring 13 points on timely 3 of 3 shooting from deep and 2 of 2 inside the arc.

Sweden 98 Croatia 105, Double OT


This was the craziest game of the European Qualifiers, one Croatia won thanks to stunning production by a pair of players that hardly played and failed to score in the first game against the Swedes a few days before. One was 1.80m point guard Goran Filipovic, who erupted for 29 points. His effort including a 5 of 5 night from 3-point range. The other was Karlo Matković, had 16 points and 13 rebounds. and Croatia as a team sank 14 of 32. Sweden lost despite a 15-point lead late in the first half. Croatia's defense also didn't allow Sweden to have a good shot at the end of regulation and the first overtime.

FIBA