For the first time since 1994, Egypt has won a game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, and head coach Roy Rana credited it to the youth movement of the African team.
The 55th-ranked Pharaohs upset the 31st-ranked Mexico in a battle of winless teams in Group D, securing a 100-72 victory on Tuesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“Young kids came in and they just really really gave us a lot of effort and did a great job,” said Egypt head coach Roy Rana.
“I thought today the key was 18-year-old guard Karim Elgizawy came off the bench and played well. Adam Moussa our point guard started he’s like 21,” continued Rana.
“Amr Zahran is 21 so we have some young players that are doing some really great things in their first World Cup and Patrick Gardner is a young player too.”
Gardner, a 24-year-old Egyptian from New York, shone in the blowout with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, accompanied by seven rebounds and three assists.
Elgizawy, aged 18, displayed maturity beyond his years with six points and two steals in just 11 minutes of playing time.
Zahran, who is 21 years old and was averaging 4.0 points before the game, exploded for 14 points on an efficient 7-of-9 field goal shooting, while also achieving a plus-23 rating in his 24 minutes on the court.
“The future of Egyptian basketball is bright but we can’t settle, we gotta keep working,” said Rana of his young pieces.
Gardner is one to keep an eye on as he has been aiming to enter the NBA.
In the recent 2K24 Summer League, the 6-foot-11 sweet-shooting big man played for the Miami Heat and averaged 5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 10.5 minutes of action across three games.
He was subsequently signed by Brooklyn to a training camp deal and will attempt to secure a roster spot for the upcoming season.
Gardner mentioned that he’s trying to model his game after proven big men who can shoot the long ball, something that the current NBA demands from its forwards and centers.
“Definitely stretch bigs but I’d say Dirk Nowitzki and then more recently Lauri Markkanen.
“Those two guys and also [Nikola] Jokic and Anthony Davis too. I think I can model my game taking bits and pieces from each of them and playing my game too,” said Gardner, who just joined the Pharaohs last July.
