2023 World Cup Qualifying

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There was already a first round, but the second round starts this weekend with a group in El Salvador. These are broadcast on the FIBA YouTube channel. Day 1 results:

Bahamas 89 Cuba 88
Costa Rica 71 El Salvador 59

Bahamas outscored Cuba 31-12 in the fourth for the comeback win, with Florida Gulf Coast's Franco Miller netting the winning basket. Jasiel Rivero had 35 points and 13 rebounds for Cuba.

There will be a second group in a couple weeks with Chile, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Paraguay. It would be surprising if anyone new broke into the top 16.

 

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Bahamas 75 Costa Rica 51
Cuba 86 El Salvador 70
Cuba 79 Costa Rica 60
Bahamas 87 El Salvador 79

Bahamas and Cuba get the two spots in World Cup qualifiers.

 

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Stunner on the first day of the second group as Nicaragua takes a big step towards being the first new team to crack the top 16 since the new system started

Nicaragua 76 Paraguay 73
Chile 105 Bolivia 52

Nicaragua's two top players are Norchad Omier, who was Sun Belt freshman of the year at Arkansas State, and naturalized Puerto Rican Jared Ruiz. They combined for 43 points and 23 rebounds. Nicaragua is now coached by former Panama coach David Rosario.

Bolivia features Josh Reaves, who played a few games for the Mavs and is signed with Besiktas next year. His mother is Bolivian. He made his Bolivia debut in the previous round against Ecuador, quit the team because of the poor treatment given to the players, but apparently the issues were resolved.

 

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Nicaragua misses their chance to clinch a spot in world cup qualifiers! Now they are out unless they can beat Chile tomorrow.

Bolivia 87 Nicaragua 82
Chile 66 Paraguay 62

 

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After the first day's excitement, we end up with the boring outcome of Chile and Paraguay advancing.

Paraguay 77 Bolivia 49
Chile 82 Nicaragua 63

 

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USA team for November window:

USA Basketball and NBA veterans Justin Anderson (Fort Wayne Mad Ants/Virginia) and Isaiah Thomas (free agent/Washington), today were added by USA Basketball to its November 2021 USA World Cup Qualifying Team. The pair were added to the USA roster after an injury forced DaQuan Jeffries (College Park Skyhawks/Tulsa) to withdraw, and after Frank Mason III (South Bay Lakers/Kansas) was not cleared for full participation.

Anderson and Thomas join previously announced USA team members Jordan Bell (Santa Cruz Warriors/Oregon), Brian Bowen II (Iowa Wolves), Josh Gray (Long Island Nets/LSU), Shaq Harrison (Delaware Blue Coats/Tulsa), BJ Johnson (Lakeland Magic/LaSalle), Orlando Johnson (free agent/UC Santa Barbara), Luke Kornet (Maine Celtics/Vanderbilt), Chasson Randle (free agent/Stanford), Zavier Simpson (Oklahoma City Blue/Michigan) and Emanuel Terry (Stockton Kings/Lincoln Memorial).