Gaborone — The Dolphins dream of qualifying for the FIBA Elite 16 basketball league hangs in the balance following a roller-coaster performance to their Road to Bal 2024 qualifying games that ended October 23 at the University of Botswana indoor arena.
The four-time local league champions had a 2-1 win-loss ratio after opening their campaign with a 68-65 victory over Zimbabwean champions, JBC Basketball Club followed by a narrow 63-61 defeat against Munali Suns of Zambia and an emphatic 75-43 victory against Namibia's Unam Wolves in the last game of the qualifying round.
Tied on three points with Dolphins, JBC are however at the summit of the log due to a superior score difference that grants them the automatic qualification spot to the Elite 16 leagues while Dolphins are on the second spot.
However, not all is lost for the Dolphins who technically still have one foot to the next round and are pinning their hopes on the FIBA 'wildcard' system to qualify as the best group runners -up.
The local team have themselves to blame for failing to secure an automatic qualification spot as they had an energetic fan base rallying behind them to the next stage on their second time of asking.
Dolphins coach, Tryson Moyo said they were still hopeful to make it through to the next round as the best runners-up depending on how other groups have performed. He added that their statistics were, however, impressive.
"It is a waiting game for us now as we patiently wait on the FIBA technical team to announce the results of other qualifying groups, but we mathematically and technically still stand a chance to qualify and make Botswana proud as the first team ever to qualify to the Elite 16," he said.
He added that they could have qualified in game two as they had possession in the dying minute to either tie the game or win it, but that poor decision making let them down.
He also said they learned their lessons during the games and that it would come handy in future, adding that the games were a perfect platform for them to gauge their strength against regional league champions.
BOPA
