Alex Renfroe (R) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is defended by Thomas Massamba of Sweden during the European pre-qualifier basketball match Group A of the FIBA World Cup 2019 in Zenica, BiH, on Aug. 12, 2017. BiH lost 72-88. (Xinhua/Haris Memija)
SARAJEVO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) suffered a 72-88 loss to Sweden in a European pre-qualifier for FIBA Basketball World Cup on Saturday evening in Zenica, a city some 70km northwest from Sarajevo.
The host team played well for the first five minutes and built a 7-point lead, before Sweden came back to level 23-23 at the end of the first quarter.
The lead had been changed at the beginning of the second quarter before a brilliant Viktor Gaddefors sent Sweden to 44-36 at half time.
After an even third quarter, Sweden hang on to a 10-point lead in most of the fourth quarter and enlarged its advantage in the last few minutes.
Dzanan Musa scored 12 points for the host team while Thomas Massamba had 20 for the visiting side.
In the following two rounds next week, BiH will play in Slovakia and Armenia.
