Senegal missed the last step leading to the last qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Cameroon stole the only ticket by winning yesterday, Sunday August 20, the final of the Africa zone pre-qualification tournament played in Lagos. (Nigeria). The Lions bowed to the wire (80-74) after a long ignition delay in the game.
Cameroon validated its ticket for the Olympic qualifying tournament by winning the final which opposed it yesterday, Sunday August 20 in Lagos, Senegal. After a great start during the pre-qualifcation tournament with a convincing success in front of Nigeria, in Mali in the group stage followed by a crushing victory against Guinea in the semi-finals, the Lions were finally stopped by the Indomitables of Cameroon who won on the score of 80 to 74. Youssou Ndoye’s teammates had managed the start they needed by making equal play and then sticking to the opponent’s coattails during the first quarter concluded on a parity score (25-25). Senegal will however thwart and mark time. The Indomitable Lions take advantage of this bad Senegalese pass to put on the baskets and break away from the score. In proportion to the points scored during this second quarter, the proteges of coach Mamadou Guèye, turned with starving statistics of 8 small points scored. At the break, the gap is abysmal and stands at 22 points (33-47).
On returning from the locker room, The Lions find the right fuel and find more energy in the interior game. If they manage to make up for their delay, their effort is more or less annihilated by questionable decisions of a more than fussy arbitration. Senegal nevertheless reduces the gap and considerably (59-54). The Cameroonian metronome and his sidekick Kome make misery for the Lions and are responsible for dropping the Lions to five units at the end of the 3rd quarter (62-54).
The delay was not insurmountable. Senegal bet on a good defense to lock their racket and forced the Cameroonians to play on the periphery. Very skilful on mid-distance shots, Paul Eboua’s teammates are more successful. They will be strong to keep the Lions at a safe distance (61-69. 4th).
Senegal is quick to sharpen its claws and sound the revolt. It is based on the good presence of Youssou Ndoye under the opposing hoop and a good address by Brancou Badji on the winning shots to absorb a good part of the liabilities (68-73. 7th) and above all to put pressure on the camp of the opponent. Better still, the Lions reduced the gap to 3 points one minute from the end (72-75 at 2 minutes 41 from the final gong). Enough to sow doubt in the opposing camp. This is the moment chosen by coach Mamadou Pa bi to ask for time and unfold a last stratagem on the last possessions. After the award-winning and complicated missed shot Papy Brancou Badio, on one, Senegal is grilling its chances of making the connection. Worse, the Lions collapse at 13 seconds following a technical foul whistled by the referee (72-77). This umpteenth frustration will get the better of the Senegalese team since it will finally bow with the score of (74-80). After missing the train of the World Cup, Senegal also skips the last qualifying tournament, the last stage for the final tournament of the Olympic Games “Paris” 2024.
Omar Diaw
2023-08-21 06:15:51
#Basketball #Olympic #prequalification #tournament #SenegalCameroon #Lions #step #wire
