The Swiss men’s team is still undefeated in the first phase of pre-qualifying for the 2027 World Cup. It picked up its 4th success in 4 outings in Azerbaijan (85-55).
Ilias Papatheodorou’s players won 85-55 in Baku without the injured Roberto Kovac. They forced the decision in a 3rd quarter concluded with a partial score of 16-1.
This meeting, however, started in the worst possible way for a Swiss selection whose margin was only two units at half-time (35-37). Azerbaijan led 11-0 after only 2’27 of play against an amorphous Swiss team.
A saving time out
The time-out requested at this moment by Ilias Papatheodorou allowed the Helvetii to pull themselves together. A 7-0 partial – with 5 points from Dylan Ducommun in the process – followed, and they took the advantage for the first time in the 17th (28-29) after a lay-up from Toni Rokac at the end of a counterattack.
Rokac and Ducommun were also two of the main guarantors of the Swiss success, which took shape between the 26th (42-45) and the 33rd minute (43-68). The Cibona Zagreb power forward scored 19 points, with an 8/10 shooting score, with the Union Neuchâtel leader accumulating 14 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. Selin Fofana (14 points and 11 assists) also stood out.
ats/btro
Swiss
