Buddy Hield, Eric Gordon and Deandre Ayton lead Bahamas past Uruguay, face Argentina in title game
Bahamas didn’t need Phoenix Suns big Deandre Ayton and new guard Eric Gordon to have huge games to dispatch Uruguay.
Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield took care of it.
Hield scored all his team-high 17 points in the first half in leading Bahamas to a 78-62 victory Saturday in the Olympic pre-qualifying tournament semifinals in Argentina.
Bahamas led 43-23 at halftime.
Bahamas 78 Uruguay 62 F.
Buddy Hield 17 points.
Eric Gordon 13 points.
Deandre Ayton 8 points, 9 boards.
Bahamas vs. Argentina Sunday in Olympic pre-qualifying tournament title game.
Winner advances to qualifying tournament next year for spot in Paris Olympics. #Suns #Pacers pic.twitter.com/z3GN8tQ3yX— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) August 20, 2023
Bahamas will face host Argentina in the finals Sunday at 5:10 p.m. Phoenix time with the winner advancing to the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament July 2-7, 2024, for a spot in 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Argentina topped Chile, 87-79, in first semifinal game Saturday.
Ayton, Gordon and Hield combined for 69 points in leading Bahamas past Argentina, 101-89 Wednesday in pool play. Gordon scored 24 points, Hield went for 23 points with 14 coming in the second half while Ayton finished the game with 22 points and a game-high 15 rebounds in the upset win.
Now the two teams will meet again Sunday to stay alive for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hield led Bahamas in Saturday's win as he shot 7-of-15 from the field, going 2-of-8 from distance, and added three steals.
Deandre Ayton finds Buddy Hield from that FT line in traffic for 3.
Bahamas up 43-23 at half.
Hield 17 points.
Gordon 7 points.
Ayton 4 points, 5 rebounds. #Suns #Pacers pic.twitter.com/4qdMOoBPwM— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) August 20, 2023
Gordon chipped in 13 points while Ayton finished with eight points and nine rebounds. Ayton rested the entire fourth quarter while Gordon and Hield checked in late as Uruguay cut the lead down to 12.
Bahamas stretched the lead back to 21 points with 1:38 left in the game.
Uruguay made point to double Ayton in the post. In reaction, Ayton found Gordon and Hield for 3s in the first half.
Ayton and Gordon both shot 4-of-9 from the field for the game.
Deandre Ayton 8 points, 9 rebounds as he may be done for the night.
Has warmup shirt on sitting on bench. Bahamas up 68-42 early in 4th.
A win tonight puts Bahamas in Sunday's final of Olympic pre-qualifying tourney against host Argentina.
Beat Argentina in pool play. #Suns pic.twitter.com/PLKQD9nyRV— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) August 20, 2023
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hield, Gordon and Ayton lead Bahamas to Olympic pre-qualifying title game
