Dominican Republic looking to return to the winning path against an eliminated Bahamas
In their return to their capital Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic National Team is looking forward to getting back in shape in the Qualifiers against a Bahamas team that is looks to the future.
SANTO DOMINGO (FIBA Basketball World Cup Americas Qualifiers 2019) — In their return to their capital Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic National Team is looking forward to getting back in shape in the Qualifiers against a Bahamas team that is looks to the future.
The Dominicans will welcome the Bahamians in the conclusion of the first phase of the FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers 2019. The Dominican Republic have a 4-1 record and a ticket to the windows that starts in September. Meanwhile, the Bahamas (0-5) were eliminated this past Thursday when they lost against the US Virgin Islands in a match that happened in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In the Dominicans case, the National Team will play for the first time in 8 years in the Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto in the capital city of Santo Domingo. The Dominican Republic is coming back from their first loss in the Qualifiers, a very hurtful 97-61, in their visit to Canada as part of Group D.
Now against the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic will go against a team that they already defeated in the second window back in Nassau during the month of February, 96-63. Coach Melvyn López pointed out what will be the key to beat the Bahamas, who will go to the game with some new players, including Buddy Hield, an NBA player from the Sacramento Kings.
“We have to retake our defensive work, which is what have been giving us good results. We have to focus on that, to see that things go much better against the Bahamas,” pointed out López to FIBA.basketball.
However, the Bahamas will play their last game of the Qualifiers with the goal of leaving with a win. The Bahamas were left without an option to advance in the Qualifiers when they lost against the Virgin Islands, 84-74.
The team coached by Mario Bowleg will show some interesting pieces that weren’t in this Window and that could be the core of the future of the program, including promising center DeAndre Ayton.
“We will continue to build and try to get DeAndre Ayton (No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft) and others to get on board. We must continue to get better and we hope to eventually be victorious,” said Bowleg in statements released by The Nassau Guardian.
The Dominican Republic, Canada, and the Virgin Islands were the three National Teams from Group D that advanced to the second part of the Qualifiers.
(The Dominican Basketball Federation press collaborated with this story.)
FIBA