Egypt Suffers Second Straight 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup Defeat

Egypt Suffers Second Straight 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup Defeat

Despite winning the first quarter 22-14, the young Egyptians exhibited recurring lapses in concentration, allowing their opponents to close the gap.

Initially, Egypt led 15-0 during the first quarter, dominating team rebounds with 21 and effectively managing fast breaks to maintain their lead.

However, similar to their performance the previous day, turnovers proved costly, with Egypt committing 13 in the first quarter alone. This allowed Canada to gain confidence and work their way back into the game.

Historically, Canada has had the upper hand, winning their two previous encounters with significant margins: a 93-53 victory in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup and a 92-70 win in the 2022 World Cup for 9th and 10th place. Yesterday's game against Australia followed a similar pattern. Egypt closed the gap significantly compared to previous years, narrowly losing 85-82.

Canada's strong bench play helped the North American take control in the second quarter, closing the second period with a 38-31 lead at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, Egypt's turnover issues resurfaced, allowing Canada to take its first lead at 43-42. The teams traded advantages, with Egypt leading 54-50 at the end of the third period despite Canada winning the quarter 19-13. The final quarter was crucial for the young Egyptians to demonstrate their progress. However, with three minutes remaining, Canada led by five points, 65-60.

Mido's crucial shot two minutes from the end rekindled hope, but Canada's Sadler, who had scored 31 points, secured the victory. Canada won the final quarter 22-12, resulting in a 72-63 final score.

This marks Egypt's second defeat in the tournament. Their next challenge is against Germany on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]