Deandre Ayton and The Bahamas fell just short of achieving the first Olympic basketball berth in the countrys history Sunday, losing 86-78 to Spain in the 2024 FIBA Qualifying Finals in Valencia, Spain. <\/p>\n
The Portland Trail Blazers center finished with 17 points on 8-14 shooting, 14 rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes of action. The performance rounded out a solid showing for Ayton throughout the FIBA Qualifying Tournament in Valencia. In four games, he averaged 19.5 points and 11.8 rebounds while shooting 64.2% from the field. <\/p>\n
Sharpshooter Buddy Hield, recently acquired by the Golden State Warriors, led The Bahamas in the final with 19 points while new Philadelphia 76ers signee Eric Gordon added 15 points. <\/p>\n
On Spains side, former Blazer Rudy Fernandez, 39, registered nine points, two rebounds and two assists. Guard Lorenzo Brown scored a team-high 18 points, including 4-5 shooting on 3-pointers. <\/p>\n
The Bahamas entered the final as underdogs. While the country hung in against Spain, it never recovered from a 25-17 second quarter by Spain that ended up being the difference in the game. A big free-throw advantage for Spain didnt help The Bahamas either. Spain shot 23-25 from the charity stripe, compared with 10-13 for The Bahamas. Spain also won the turnover battle 15-11. <\/p>\n
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The Bahamas, Ayton Lose to Spain in 2024 FIBA Qualifying Finals - Blazer's Edge<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Deandre Ayton and The Bahamas fell just short of achieving the first Olympic basketball berth in the countrys history Sunday, losing 86-78 to Spain in the 2024 FIBA Qualifying Finals in Valencia, Spain. Continue reading