Spain too strong for Slovenia in dynamic clash of titans

BURGOS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Spain got some measure of revenge for a crushing 92-72 Semi-Final loss to Slovenia at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 after a flawless second-half performance gave them an ultimately convincing 92-84 win over the European champions in a high-octane FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers clash on Sunday.

It was easily the most entertaining contest of the day as the two teams produced top quality basketball in Burgos, with the home side coming out on top thanks to huge performances by Joaquin Colom and Sergi Vidal.

Turning point: The end of third quarter and opening of the fourth. With Slovenia breathing down Spain's necks thanks to a valiant effort by Klemen Prepelic and Gasper Vidmar, the Spaniards pulled away into a 73-65 lead and then conjured a 9-0 run early in the final period to open up an unassailable 17-point gap. With their pride at stake, the Slovenians refused to lie down and never gave up as they replied with a run of seven unanswered points, but their comeback fell short as Spain closed ranks and made sure there was to be no late drama.

Game hero: Joaquin Colom netted 25 points and dished out 9 assists to snatch the honors ahead of Sergi Vidal, who also shone with 21 points after nailing six three-pointers from seven attempts in a high-scoring encounter. Klemen Prepelic (27 points) and Gasper Vidmar (24), the two unsung heroes of Slovenia's European title run, would have been just as worthy of the accolade had their team won.

Stats don't lie: In a largely even contest, it was Spain's 39 rebounds (13 offensive) against Slovenia's 29 (only six offensive) that swung the outcome in the home team's favor. Both sides hit 11 three-pointers but Spain crucially dominated the boards and edged out their opponents in most other departments.

Game notes: Although both sides missed some of their trophy-laden stalwarts, with Slovenia devoid of the internationally retired Goran Dragic and teenage Real Madrid star Luka Doncic, the clash showed in no uncertain terms that these two teams boast an abundance of talent. The clash kept fans in Burgos on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

They said: "First of all I want to thank the fantastic Burgos fans who were very supportive. They enjoyed a great game but they also played a part in our win. I also want to thank my players, it was a very emotional performance as they went way beyond what I expected of them. We had a very short time-frame to create a team spirit and the plaudits go to them for bonding on and off the court. We played a great game from many standpoints and beat a very good team." - Spain coach Sergio Scariolo.

"Congratulations to Spain, they played very well and won. We played 70 percent of the game very well. It was a tight result but we had too many ups and downs and also we had problems with rebounding and in guarding Colom on the pick and roll." - Slovenia coach Rado Trifunovic.

FIBA