Cuba-Puerto Rico today in men’s basketball qualifying tournament

Havana, Nov 29 (ACN) The Cuban men’s basketball team will compete today with its counterpart from Puerto Rico in the “bubble” of Chihuahua, Mexico, as part of the first qualifying window for the 2023 World Cup.

According to the official website of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Cuban team will face the Puerto Ricans starting at 3:30 in the afternoon (local time), which would be 5:30 pm here on the island.

Those from the largest of the Antilles will try to achieve their first victory in group D after the good feelings left this Sunday, despite falling in a great 90-95 game against the United States.

In that duel the cast of the island entered the field of the University Auditorium Gymnasium without complexes and dominated the first quarter by a difference of 10 points (37-27).

After that excellent start, the Americans raised their level of play to prevail 33-16 in the second period, to go to rest with a favorable score of 60-53.

After the break, the Caribbean nation as a whole was again superior with a third quarter in favor of 24-13, but in the last segment they lost 13-22, remaining very close to a victory that would have gone around the world against to the representatives of the main power of this sport on the planet.

For the Cuban team Jasiel Rivero, who is part of the Valencia Basket club of the Spanish League, assumed his leadership with an outstanding performance of 34 points and nine rebounds.

Rivero achieved a high effectiveness of 76.92 percent in the shots of two, with 10 baskets in 13 attempts, in addition to making three of five from the long distance line, according to the official FIBA ​​website.

Along with him, Karel Guzmán (18) and Yoanki Mensía (12) achieved double digits on the offensive; while the North Americans stood out Isaiah Thomas (21), as well as BJ Johnson and Brian Bowen, both with 16 cards.