The Swiss men’s team is still undefeated in the first phase of pre-qualifying for the 2027 World Cup. It picked up its fourth success in four outings in Azerbaijan.
Ilias Papatheodorou’s players won 85-55 on Sunday in Baku, three days after crushing Kosovo 75-43 for Jonathan Kazadi’s last in the national jersey. Without the injured Roberto Kovac, they forced the decision in a third quarter ending with a 16-1 partial.
This meeting, scheduled from 2 p.m. local time, had nevertheless started in the worst 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.
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 passing – in their favor followed, and they took the advantage for the first time in the 17th (28-29) after a lay-up from Toni Rokac in 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 on Sunday.
Two matches in February
With four victories in four outings, Switzerland is practically guaranteed to compete in the second pre-qualifying phase, the best 2nd accompanying the three group winners in the 2nd round. She will play her last two matches in this group A in February, on the 20th against Ireland and three days later in Kosovo.
/ATS
