Group E Preview: Total parity and little margin for error
MIAMI (United States) – The moment of truth has arrived for most of the continent's nations, as winning is the only good outcome to qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
MIAMI (United States) – The moment of truth has arrived for most of the continent's nations, as winning is the only good outcome to qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. In the Americas, only Canada has reached the objective while another eight countries will be vying for the remaining six spots.
This is what's coming for the games on the 23rd and 26th of this month in Group E of the Americas Qualifiers. Group F's preview will be next.
Group E
12/18 games played
All First Round results carry over to Second Round
| GAMES | STREAK | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | Last 5 | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 | Canada(1) | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100 | 1026 | 681 | 345 | 102.6 | 68.1 | 20 | |
| 2 | Venezuela | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70.0 | 755 | 662 | 93 | 75.5 | 66.2 | 17 | |
| 3 | Dominican Republic | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70.0 | 813 | 720 | 93 | 81.3 | 72 | 17 | |
| 4 | Argentina | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70.0 | 786 | 714 | 72 | 78.6 | 71.4 | 17 | |
| 5 | Bahamas | 10 | 3 | 7 | 30.0 | 795 | 900 | -105 | 79.5 | 90 | 13 | |
| 6 | Panama | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20.0 | 667 | 785 | -118 | 66.7 | 78.5 | 12 | |
Thursday, February 23rd
Venezuela vs. Bahamas - 19:10 local time (GMT -4)
Panama vs. Dominican Republic - 19:10 local time (GMT -5)
Argentina vs. Canada - 21:40 local time (GMT -3)
Sunday, February 26th
Venezuela vs. Canada - 20:10 local time (GMT -4)
Argentina vs. Dominican Republic - 21:10 local time (GMT -3)
Panama vs. Bahamas - 19:10 local time (GMT -5)
As we know, Canada (10-0) sits atop the group and will only be playing their pride. The North Americans will attempt to win their remaining two games to become the region's only nation to ever finish the qualifiers undefeated. However, lower down the standings is where the real action will take place. Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Argentina are all tied up at 7-3 and under pressure to keep piling wins.
Venezuela has the advantage of playing their last two games at home, and the first of them will be against the group's penultimate team in the standings, Bahamas (3-7). They will then face a tough matchup against Canada.
The Dominican Republic will be on the road, but one of their games is a theoretically easier task against last-place Panama (2-8). They'll then face Argentina in the window's marquee matchup, with the winner finishing above the loser and qualifying to the World Cup. Something to remember is that the Dominicans won their head-to-head matchup by 11 points (80-69) and that will be a key factor in case the finishing tied.
Before that crucial game, Argentina will first face Canada. Pablo Prigoni's squad will be playing in front of their home crowd and will have the return of Facundo Campazzo and other members of the team that lifted the trophy at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup last September.
Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Argentina will also be focusing on Mexico's and Puerto Rico's Group F games, with an eye toward the fourth-place team with the best record.
Bahamas and Panama have already been eliminated.
Star watch
Facundo Campazzo - Argentina
Point guard
Height: 179cm / 5'10"
August stats: 17.0 PTS, 9.0 AST, 5.0 REB, 2.0 STL, 44% FG in 30.0 minutes per game
The current Red Star Belgrade point guard is in Argentina's preliminary roster and his presence naturally strengthens the squad. With him on the court, Argentina won the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup last summer and holds a 3-1 record in the Americas Qualifiers, where Campazzo averaged 20.5 points (shooting 50.0 percent from behind the arc), 7.3 assists, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals.
X Factor
Andrés Feliz - Dominican Republic
Point guard
Height: 183cm / 6'0"
November stats: 11.0 PTS, 4.5 REB, 4.0 AST, 1.0 STL, 64% FG in 29.5 minutes per game
The Dominican squad has plenty of talent at the forward and center positions. However, they lack depth at the helm, with only Feliz and Gelvis Solano splitting most of the minutes. The Joventut Badalona point guard has established himself and been improving as he gained experience. In the crucial game against Argentina, he could be the key in his one-on-one matchup against Campazzo.
Group E teams in FIBA's World Ranking:
| World Rank | Team | Americas Rank |
| 4. | Argentina | 2. |
| 15. | Canada | 4. |
| 17. | Venezuela | 5. |
| 25. | Dominican Republic | 7. |
| 51. | Panama | 10. |
| 57. | Bahamas | 13. |
FIBA