After a narrow defeat against Lithuania (93-97) on Wednesday, July 3, Ivory Coast stumbled again, this time against Mexico, during their last match of the Olympic qualifying tournament on Thursday, July 4, 2024, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
This defeat means the Elephants are eliminated from this crucial tournament, thus shattering their hopes of participating in the Paris Olympic Games.
The match against Mexico was largely within reach of the Elephants, who dominated the first three quarters. The successive scores reflected a solid Ivorian team: 25-22 for Côte d’Ivoire in the first quarter, 44-44 at halftime, and 69-68 at the end of the third quarter.
However, the Ivorians once again showed their difficulty in managing the end of the match. In the last quarter, the Mexicans quickly took the lead and widened the gap, finishing with a final score of 92-81, or 11 points difference. This bad habit of the Ivorians to lose their advantage at the end of the match once again cost dearly.
This defeat against Mexico reflects the elimination of the Elephants from this repechage tournament, thus putting an end to their dreams of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It is a great disappointment for this talented team, vice-champion of Africa in 2021 and participant in the World Cup in 2023.
Fans and analysts express their sadness at this elimination. The performance of the Ivorian team, although promising, was marked by strategic shortcomings and an inability to maintain pressure in crucial moments.
Despite this defeat, it is important to note that the Ivory Coast team has enormous potential. It is essential for coaches and players to learn from this experience and work on the mental and strategic aspects of the end of matches.
The road to the Olympics is over for the Elephants this year, but with determination and proper adjustments, they can come back stronger for the next competitions with a refined strategy.
Kg
2024-07-05 15:14:19
#Basketball #Eliminated #Olympic #Qualifying #Tournament #Ivory #Coast #participate #Paris #Olympic #Games
