Game Report: Egypt's aspirations for a second consecutive win were dashed in a crucial 9-12 classification game at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, as a fourth-quarter collapse led to a 90-72 defeat against Argentina. Despite dominating the boards, Egypt's dreadful 9.5% shooting from beyond the arc proved insurmountable.
Last Updated on
July 8, 2024
Egypt’s aspirations of making it two wins in a row were dashed to the winds by Argentina following a 90-72 loss in the 9th-12th place ranking game at the ongoing FIBA U17 World Cup.
Egypt started the game slow, succumbing to a 0-4 streak in the first minute before a combined effort from the North Africans saw them chip in 7 points for coach Amr Abouelkhir’s players to take a 17-16 edge courtesy of Wael Shahin lay up with 3:27 mins down the clock in the first quarter.
A resurgence from Argentina saw them recapture the lead and stretch it to 8 points with a 26-18 domination at the close of the first quarter. The second quarter saw Egypt score 22 points, restricting Argentina to 21 points, continuing with their fine form in the third quarter, scoring 23 to cut the deficit to six points heading into the last quarter.
However, a meltdown from Egypt, eased by abysmal shooting beyond the arc, with the North Africans missing all eight of their 3-point attempts, eased the task for Argentina, who secured a 90-72 win. Egypt’s big man Omar Essam provided solace for his side, sinking in 15 points across 33 minutes, while forward Ali Assran reminded fans of his talent, clinching double figures of 14 points and 11 rebounds, significantly helping Egypt out rebound Argentina 40-36.
[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]