Georgia misplaced, after which celebrated.
Iceland gained, and was devastated.
One of many final Basketball World Cup spots went to Georgia on Sunday — despite the fact that it misplaced to Iceland 80-77 within the last Europe Area qualifying recreation for each groups. Iceland wanted to win by 4 factors or extra to win a tiebreaker over Georgia for the World Cup berth.
It got here up one level quick. Each groups completed qualifying with 5-5 information, with the tiebreaker going to Georgia by the slimmest of margins. Iceland had a 3-point try by Elvar Fridriksson — its finest shooter — rim out with about 3 seconds remaining, and Georgia held on for the loss that basically was a win.
“Superb. I’m so glad, man,” stated Georgia’s Thaddus McFadden, a Michigan-born guard who performed on the junior school and Division II ranges earlier than embarking on what’s now a 14-year professional profession abroad. “I could fiddle and cry. This implies a lot to all people. I’m simply so glad.”
Georgia beat Iceland by three factors in a qualifying recreation in November. For Iceland to have superior, it wanted to win by 4 to assert the head-to-head tiebreaker; Georgia held different tiebreakers, and people have been its ticket to the World Cup.
“Fought to the very finish and should you advised me earlier than the sport or initially of those 10-game {qualifications} that it could come down to at least one shot by our greatest shooter, then I’d take it,” Iceland coach Craig Pedersen stated. “However it was a few centimeters off. And congratulations to Georgia.”
Georgia — a first-time World Cup qualifier — joined 9 different European groups as having clinched berths on this summer time’s event. These 9 who certified earlier than Sunday are Latvia, Greece, Germany, Finland, Slovenia, France, Lithuania, Spain and Italy.
Montenegro additionally certified on Sunday, clinching its spot with an 88-70 win over Czech Republic.
The final World Cup spot of the 12 allotted to Europe — and the final within the 32-team area — shall be claimed Monday, going to both Serbia or Belgium.
Serbia will advance if it beats Nice Britain. if Serbia loses that recreation, Belgium would advance by beating Turkey. And if Belgium loses, Serbia advances no matter its Monday consequence.
AMERICAS REGION
Argentina will miss the World Cup for the primary time since 1982, ending a string of 9 consecutive appearances.
And the opposite 5 groups that have been nonetheless in rivalry for World Cup berths may have a good time Sunday evening.
Puerto Rico, Brazil, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Venezuela all certified, joining the U.S. and Canada — who had beforehand clinched their World Cup berths. These are the seven groups that can characterize the Americas Area at this summer time’s event within the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
Puerto Rico beat Colombia 87-80, Brazil topped the U.S. 83-76, Mexico beat Uruguay 82-69, and Venezuela obtained in despite the fact that it misplaced to Canada 74-57.
The Dominican Republic beating Argentina 79-75 might need been the one actual shock of the evening — in that Argentina, ranked No. 4 on the earth by FIBA, gained’t be taking part in this summer time and now might want to undergo a qualifying event simply to get to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
AFRICA REGION
Cape Verde is now the smallest nation — inhabitants of slightly below 600,000 — ever to qualify for the World Cup. It topped Ivory Coast 79-64 on Sunday to assert the final spot allotted to African nations.
It’s Cape Verde’s first journey to the World Cup. Fellow first-time qualifier South Sudan, together with Ivory Coast, Angola and Egypt are additionally set to be Africa’s 5 World Cup representatives.
ASIA REGION
Iran grabbed the final accessible spot from Asia on Sunday, clinching its berth when Kazakhstan misplaced to Australia 98-53.
Kazakhstan was the one different group nonetheless within the working for the ultimate spot. Iran misplaced to China 86-74 on Sunday, however solely wanted a win or a Kazakhstan loss to qualify.
Iran joins co-hosts Philippines and Japan, together with Lebanon, New Zealand, Australia, China, and Jordan as Asia’s eight World Cup qualifiers.
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