Puerto Rico’s National Basketball Team Aims for Quarterfinals in FIBA World Cup Against Italy

Philippines, Manila. On the eve of Puerto Rico’s most important game in a FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup in the past 20 years, the National Team maintained total concentration during practice on Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s game against Italy, for the pass to quarterfinals of the tournament.

The meeting will be at 4:00 am, Puerto Rico time, and broadcast by WAPA Deportes.

The Puerto Ricans, 20th in the FIBA ​​world ranking, can sneak into the round of the best eight teams in the tournament with a win against the Italians. A loss will mean a farewell to the Philippine capital.

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The national team has not advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Cup since Indianapolis 2002. If they win early on Sunday, the important victory could become a double celebration. If Spain defeats Canada, Latvia defeats Brazil and Serbia defeats the Dominican Republic later in the day, Puerto Rico secures a direct pass to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The World Cup offers two tickets to the Olympics to the two best teams in the Americas in the competition. The United States is already installed in the quarterfinals.

On Saturday, Puerto Rico practiced during the afternoon in an alternate coliseum while a downpour fell on the outskirts. The team announced that it would not make statements to the Puerto Rican press, the only one present at the training session.

Italy, ranked 10th on the planet, has been a difficult European team for Puerto Ricans to beat. The “Azzurri” record against Puerto Rico in official matches is 13-2. The only times that Puerto Rico came out on top was in a match in 1963 with a result of 75-70; and in the final of the Goodwill Games in 1994, 94-90.

Italy’s only loss in this World Cup occurred in the first phase against the Dominicans to finish second in Group A. Puerto Rico finished with the same record in Group B.

Joining Group I in the second round, the Italians rallied from a 16-point deficit to stop Serbia on Friday. Later, Puerto Rico came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat the Dominicans 102-97.

The results caused a four-way tie in the key with the four teams playing for 3-1. The winners on Sunday in the group will continue to live.

Puerto Rico and Italy met on August 13 in Revena in a friendly, with the locals taking the visitors off the pitch 98-65. Two weeks later, the National Team hopes to extend its good moment of its last two victories against China and the Dominican Republic to give the “stick” against the Europeans.

“In this stage where we are, a victory has the capacity to put us in a great position, within the eight best teams in the world; qualify for the Olympics, and achieve our part in the basketball history of our country and national team”, commented coach Nelson Colón at a press conference after defeating the quisqueyanos.

“It will not be an easy game. Italy is a great team. They achieved a super victory against one of the best teams in the world, beating Serbia (six in the world). Which helps us and our favor in the experience we had against them. We know what we can expect from them, from the way they play. Now it is fine-tuning, putting the boys in perspective of how we are going to play and what we want to do in that game. Go out intense for 40 minutes. Calling is energy and physical play from Europe. Ball movement and patience. Don’t despair. Go out and give it your all. If we can do it that way we are going to see a close match and Puerto Rico with a chance to win,” he added.

Puerto Rico and Italy met on August 13 in Revena in a friendly, with the locals taking the visitors off the pitch 98-65. (Bianca Constantini)

Italy is led by Simone Fontecchio with an average of 20 points per game. He is followed by Marco Spissu with 12.3 units per game and Stefano Tonut with 10.5.

“It will be our biggest game. Like I said, I think we’ve grown throughout the tournament. We have to continue and hopefully we can get the victory”, said John Holland, hero of the victory against the Dominicans with a three-pointer with 35 seconds remaining in the game.

Puerto Rico enters the game with the best collective percentage of three-point baskets in the contest (41.3), behind the leader Lithuania. Also, he is sixth in rebounds and seventh in turnovers.

Puerto Rico has Tremont Waters as the leading scorer with 21.2 points after totaling 37 in the victory against the Dominican Republic. He is followed by George Conditt IV with 12.5 units and Ysmael Romero with 12.0.

2023-09-02 20:00:00
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