FIBA's top 15 Halloween nightmares

MIES (Switzerland) - It's fair to say that all national teams are haunted by bad performances, or stunning results in international competition.

Sometimes, the pain is self-inflicted while at others, special talents play the role of spoiler. Even so, a nightmare for one team is usually a miracle for the opponent.

With the Candyman stirring in late October,  here are FIBA's top 15 Halloween nightmares.

15 - One, two ... Freddy's coming for you

Chinese Taipei lived their worst nightmare n this year's FIBA Asia Cup Qualification to the Quarter-Final against Jordan, who looked dead and buried before Freddy Ibrahim saved them with two daggers. The first was a three-ball two meters behind the arc with 3.3 seconds left and the second was from so far away it may as well have been thrown from Elm Street. Freddie and Jordan won, 97-96.

14 - Haunted House: The vanishing shot

The scariest tales are those that happen in the homes of the victims. There's just always something chilling about being spooked in the very place you should feel safe at all times. That's why it was chilling to watch Pau Gasol's late game shot get erased by Rudy Gobert to solidify a win for France over Spain at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 in Madrid.

 

13 - Haunted House 2: Revenge

And it was even more frightening to see Gasol return the favor at EuroBasket 2015 with a 40-point game in an overtime win against Gobert and France in Lille.

 

12 - Vlad-o The Dracula drains the blood from Lithuania

The infamous vampire legend Dracula was actually a Romanian lad named Vlad, but we won't blame Lithuania basketball fans for confusing that with the North Macedonia sharpshooter Vlado Ilievski. The sight of the guard who beat Lithuania with a late three-ball in the Quarter-Finals of FIBA EuroBasket 2011 would send chills down the spine.

11 - "Whatever you do....don't fall asleep" ... especially on Sancho!

France hosted the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2013 and the Final went down to the wire. Sancho Lyttle iced the title for Spain with seven seconds left  by ghosting behind the home defense in a famous 70-69 win that still haunts France. It was also the first of three titles in four editions for the Spanish - more treat than trick!

10 - The Monster Mash

You can run at the FIBA AfroBasket, but you can't hide from Edy Tavares. At the event in 2021, the Cape Verde giant took his anger out on the rim and shattered the backboard in the process, leading to a lengthy delay which is never a good thing.

9 - Silence of the ... Mexico City crowd

With a chance to reach the podium of the FIBA AmeriCup they were hosting in 2015, Mexico were just seconds away when Canada's Cory Joseph popped up and hit them with a game-winning dagger.

8 - Triple-double trouble as Jisu haunts Brazil

 
Brazil had dreamed of making it to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 but entered a living nightmare in their must-win game against Korea. They were brutally taken down by some frightening play by JiSu Park who swatted everything in sight at one end of the floor and slayed the defense at the other.

 

7 - The Polish bogeyman

Slovenia and Luka Doncic looked like potential EuroBasket winners this summer but Mateuz Ponitka triple-doubled their hopes into oblivion. Ponitka had a historic performance, arguably the greatest in Polish basketball history, with 26 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists and his team sprung a Quarter-Final shock, winning 90-87. 

6 - The Big Sofo nightmare for USA

The USA, beaten in the Quarter-Finals of the 2002 World Cup and having to settle for the third place at the 2004 Olympics, showed up with a new team and a new attitude at the 2006 World Cup in Japan, hellbent on getting to the top of the podium. But Sofoklis Schortsanitis  turned on the style and the Greeks won, 101-95.

5 - The Machida 'Dimes of Death'

Japanese playmaker Rui Machida was unstoppable at the Tokyo Games. Every time she had the ball in her hands, it was nightmare time for those guarding her as she killed opposing defense stone dead. Machida propelled host nation Japan to a first Final with an Olympic game-high assists record of 18 to take down France in the Semis.

4 - France's tale of Semi-Final horror

One torture chamber that French fans will never escape is the memory of Les Bleus' ghastly collapse against Greece in the last 47 seconds of their EuroBasket 2005 Semi-Final in Belgrade. Greece's Theo Papaloukas was a sorcerer with his dribbling and passing, while Greece's Dimitris Diamantidis buried a go-ahead, game-clinching three-ball with three seconds left for a 67-66 stunner.

3 - Spooky neighbours

 

USA had never lost to Canada in all five of their meetings at the U19 World Cup prior to their Semi-Final matchup in 2017, but it was a different case in Cairo. Their neighbors to the north were led by the budding star RJ Barrett, who proceeded to drop 38 points for Canada to take down USA. Considering this was the only time USA failed to reach the Final of the competition in the past 5 competitions, it's safe to assume that it was a pretty haunting experience for USA.

2 - Batum kills Slovenia's Tokyo Final dream

With the path seemingly open for a game-winning layup, Slovenia's Klemen Prepelic had his attempt pinned on the backboard by the high-flying Nic Batum. The block preserved France's 90-89 victory in their Olympic Semi-Final. Slovenia's bid to reach the Gold Medal Game was dashed.

1 - Opals' legend LJ pushes the retirement tomb door wide open

The incredible Lauren Jackson spent eight long years in a basketball retirement tomb and effectively came back from the dead. Her staggering reboot helped inspire hosts Australia to third place at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup - but it was a nightmare for Canada, who were left without a podium step.

FIBA