The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemdedia.net

DESPITE losing by 18 points to Argentina, head coach Chris DeMarco said he was still pleased with how the Bahamas national basketball team performed during their FIBA Americas 2023 World Cup Qualifying match on Monday night.

The Bahamas actually held a slim 44-43 margin at the half, but behind the home crowd in the Polodeportivo Isles Malvinas arena in Mar del Plata, Argentina rebounded with a 25-15 spurt in the third and 27-18 in the fourth for a 95-77 win.

It was the second consecutive loss in five days in the FIBA Americas 2023 World Cup Qualifier. The Bahamas dropped an 86-81 decision to Venezuela on Thursday night at the jam-packed Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. “It’s incredible. Everyone should be proud back home in the Bahamas. We just played against the seventh best team in the world. We obviously had a halftime lead, but we struggled in the third quarter,” said DeMarco, who was assisted by Mikhail McLean. “We have these short training camps and a lot of our guys haven’t come up playing together. What we’re facing in these World Cup Qualifiers are teams that have been together for a long time. What that means is that we have to a better job with longer training camps to build chemistry.”

The chemistry, however, didn’t come together as anticipated and it showed in the final results.

“We have to really learn to know each other so that we know how to play. But we also have a smaller window for mistakes,” DeMarco said. “We can’t turn the ball over as much, we can’t commit stupid fouls, we have to execute, which is a part of the process.”

One of those young players was Garvin Clarke Jr. As the youngest member of the team, Clarke stepped it up coming off the bench and in 25 minutes and 51 seconds, exploded for 12 points with four steals.

“Playing around professionals, learning the game everyday, playing against one of the best professionals in the league has helped me a lot,” Clarke said. “I learn about what I need to do going back into college.”

Kai Jones, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association, had an explosive night as he powered down at least four slam dunks in leading the Bahamas’ offensive attack with 16 points and six rebounds and two assists.

Mychel Thompson had 11 points and seven rebounds, Grand Bahamian Chavano ‘Buddy’ Hield of the Indiana Pacers, fouled out late in the fourth quarter after he ended up contributing 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

The Bahamas also got nine points from newcomer Bradley Nairn Jr, eight points and four rebounds from Kentwan Smith and six points and five rebounds from Franco Miller Jr.

DeMarco, however, said with such a young team, mixed with a few veterans, they will only get better. He noted that the loss was a tough pill to swallow, considering the way things turned out at the end.

“I’m really proud of the Bahamas national team. We’re here to stay right now,” he stated. “But it’s absolutely ridiculous that it was 30-9 in free throws. It’s just at some point, people will have to come in, but 30-9 in free throws can’t do it. I’m really disappointed in those numbers.”

The disparity in the charity shots came as a result of the Bahamas committing 23 personal fouls compared to just 13 by Argentina.

While Hield fouled out, Thompson Jr ended up with four and both Jones and Davis picked up three apiece.

Argentina had one player eliminated as well, but they didn’t have any others in foul trouble. Even though it wasn’t the outcome he anticipated, DeMarco said he was still pleased with the team’s effort.

“We battled. Again, Argentina is a fantastic team,” DeMarco said.

“You need great guards to win in FIBA and that is what they have.

“Again, I can’t be happier with the way our guys competed. “I feel really bad for them, the way the free throws went for them. I wished we could have just gone out there and played basketball, but what are you going to do? What are you going to do?”

The Bahamas is hoping to become one of the seven teams to qualify for the 2023 World Cup through the six windows over a 15-month period in a home-and-away series from November 2021 to February 2023.

The Bahamas Basketball Federation, headed by president Eugene Horton, will have to get right back at it, preparing the next team to compete against Panama on Thursday, November 10.

But it’s uncertain who will be available to play as the NBA and the European League will both be in high gear.