The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation’s men’s national team is set to begin its path toward the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

The Bahamas will be in Group A in the second round of the Central America and Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers alongside Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

The tournament will be hosted July 1-4 in El Salvador and The Bahamas must finish in the top two to advance to round three.

The first round of Pre-Qualifiers was played April 15-19 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

After five days of play Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the hosts El Salvador were the top three teams and advanced to the second round.

A total of 80 national teams from the four regions of Africa, Americas, Asia (and Oceania) and Europe are vying for spots in the upcoming World Cup.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will qualify teams directly for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games or through 4 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

Team Bahamas last appeared on the international level at February’s FIBA 2022 AmeriCup window when they saw their qualification bid come to an end.

Following losses to The United States and Puerto Rico in the third and final window of qualifiers, The Bahamas finished the process with a 1-5 record and failed to advance out of Group D.

The United States topped Group D with an undefeated 6-0 record, while Puerto Rico finished 3-3 and Mexico was 2-4. All three qualified for the 2022 AmeriCup.