Slovenia secured a convincing victory against Cape Verde with a final score of 92:77 in the third match of Group F at the FIBA World Cup.
Slovenia showcased impressive offensive prowess right from the start of the game. However, their efforts were countered by Cape Verde’s solid defensive play, which was perhaps the strongest they have displayed in the tournament.
Despite an off-game from Luka Doncic, Slovenia managed to maintain a lead of seven points going into halftime.
Prepelic propels perfect Slovenia to the Second Round! 🤫#FIBAWC x #WinForSlovenia 🇸🇮
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 30, 2023
Even though Cape Verde continued to put up a fight, Slovenia began to establish a decisive lead towards the end of the third quarter. Dončić’s performance improved, and the lead reached double digits.
The Slovenian team, often referred to as the “Dragons,” continued to dominate their opponents in the fourth quarter, with Klemen Prepelič leading the charge. As the game progressed, Slovenia’s lead extended to over 20 points, a gap that the 2017 European champions confidently maintained.
Leading the scoring for Slovenia was Doncic with 19 points, nearly achieving a triple-double with seven rebounds and nine assists, although he struggled with shooting percentages at 5/17. He was closely followed by Prepelic with 18 points. On the losing side, Betinho Gomez contributed 17 points, while Kenneti Mendes recorded 10 points, and Walter Tavares managed nine points along with 10 rebounds.
With their first-place finish in the group, Slovenia is now set to face Australia in the newly formed group, where they will also compete against Germany. Cape Verde, with a 1-2 record, will battle for placement from 17th to 32nd in the tournament.