Puerto Rico defeats Bahamas and qualifies for AmeriCup 2022

The Puerto Rican national team qualified for the AmeriCup 2022 on Saturday after turning against the Bahamas and winning 102-96 in the third and final FIBA ​​qualifying window at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.

The national team ended the window phase with a record of 3-3 to get its ticket to the continental tournament in Group D, together with Mexico (2-4) and the United States (6-0). The Bahamas (1-5), despite their great effort, was eliminated.

“It was a great victory because we qualified. We were lost and we did what we had to do, which is to win the last two games here “, manager Eddie Casiano reacted after the meeting.

Goalkeeper Gian Clavell again led the Puerto Ricans’ offense with 26 points. José Juan Barea also had 26 points with eight assists and seven rebounds, and rookie Shabazz Napier finished with 22.

For the Bahamians, Mychel Thompson, the brother of NBA Golden State Warriors member Klay Thompson, was the best with 21 points.

Puerto Rico’s next commitment will be the Olympic rematch, which will take place on June 29 in Belgrade, Serbia.

Overwhelmed by the speed of the Bahamas, Puerto Rico entered the last quarter with 79-70. Before the start of the period, Casiano tried to cheer the team with the qualification in the game. The motivational discussion worked and Clavell cooled his blood again and put the team on his shoulders scoring eight points in the return, equalizing the game at 84 with a triple assisted by Barea} with 6:53 minutes of action left.

He had to tell us something “, Barea reacted to Casiano’s message to make the return.

“At that time we were in a bad position and he had to motivate us. We made adjustments, played the area and played a smart offense that gave us the victory. All the credit for the Bahamas who played very well and it was a good game, “he added.

A technical foul against Bahamian coach Mario Bowleg caused Barea to score a free kick for 89-88, and the Puerto Ricans never looked back. They took off with a 7-0 run, with a triple by Napier and a basket by Barea, to ensure the agonizing classification after taking over the fourth period 32-15.

As Puerto Rico anticipated before the game, the Bahamians came out aggressive from the first serve and hit four triples in 10 attempts to close the score in the first minutes of action.

An awkward güira of D’Shon Taylor in penetration against Ramón Clemente drew the free kick for the visitors to win 20-19 with 20 seconds left in the first set. Barea then lowered the ball and felt pressure from Domnick Bridgewater, requesting contact with one of the referees.

Seeing that they did not hear his claim, Barea angrily threw the ball behind the goal and hit the shot when the chichara called for Puerto Ricans to go ahead 22-20. heading for the second period. Clavell had six points in the fourth.

Barea, the team captain, committed a technical foul starting with the second set, a crime that took him to the bench to avoid accumulation. His departure allowed Napier to take control of the offense, scoring 14 points in the first half after making his debut for the national team with 13 points in the victory against Mexico.

The Bahamas remained in control, but the triples, followed by Napier and Clavell, also with 14 in the first half, took Puerto Rico 52-45 with 48 seconds left in the second period. A Kentwan Smith bombing allowed the Bahamians to be close to the 52-48 table at the break.

The Puerto Rican goal was effective when they scored eight triples in 14 attempts, in addition to leading the field with 15 points in the transition games against three of the island’s rivals.

The Bahamas came back lethal from the break and ran 7-0 to take a 55-52 lead. Since then, both teams have gone from you to you, changing baskets and strikers, forgetting the defense, with Barea as the protagonist on the local side. Travis Munnings and Jaron Cornish had baskets back-to-back, and the Bahamas had the longest lead 71-66 after three minutes.

The Bahamas won the quarter 31-18 to take off dangerously 79-70, heading into the final quarter.