3 days ago
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JAMAICA’S BASKETBALL team defeated Puerto Rico 97-92 in their FIBA Americas World Cup qualifiers in Puerto Rico on Monday to complete the double over their opponents, ranked 79 places above them in the FIBA ranking.
Jamaica, who had to surrender home-court advantage after the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) and the Montego Bay Convention Centre failed to meet the world governing body’s, FIBA’s, approval, stunned Puerto Rico 92-90 on Friday before executing an even more commanding display to secure back-to-back wins to start the qualifiers.
“We had to really guard against complacency. We shook the world on Friday. Now we are playing with house money. So we had to fight complacency setting in, and it never did,” coach Rick Turner told The Gleaner.
“So this is really a testament of the mentality of our team and the leadership of Kenton Facey and some of the veteran players who knew what was on the line.
“We came here to win two games. I wouldn’t say we are surprised. This is exactly what we wanted to do. But the work continues. We need to take this momentum into the second window in February and not rest on our laurels.”
Although the host scored the first point of the game, the Jamaicans soon assumed the ascendancy and never relinquished the lead after that.
20-point gap
At the start of the fourth quarter, Jamaica opened up a 20-point gap over their opponents. But the hosts, led by Stephen Thompson Jr (18 points), Zakai Zeigler (17 points), who were sometimes unplayable from the three-point line, and Alexander Morales (15 points), pulled them within three points (95-92) of Jamaica, with 58 seconds left on the clock.
However, the Jamaicans defended their basket well, and with 10 seconds to go, Tyran De Lattibeaudiere, drew a foul and scored both free throws to put the game beyond doubt.
It was a great all-round performance from the Jamaican cast, led by Chase Audige (20 points), Romaine Thomas (18), Kofi Cockburn (15, 12 rebounds), and Tyran De Lattibeaudiere (15, five).
Joel Bailey, Andrew Thelwell, and Kenton Facey, both nine points, also offered good support. Facey also had 10 rebounds.
Jamaica and Canada are tied at the top of the standings on four points while Puerto Rico and the Bahamas occupy the lower half on two points each.
Turner added that after the double win over world number-16 ranked Puerto Rico, they will be a big target for the rest of the qualification.
“We have to keep pushing and get better and find ways to pull out wins against two really good teams in Bahamas and Canada.
“We are not going to sneak up on anybody anymore. I don’t think teams are going to take us lightly anymore. They are going to give us their best, and we are going to give them our best.
“But that’s what we want. We want to play the best. We’ve said that from the very beginning. We want to be on this stage. We want to play with elite company and prove to the world that we deserve to be here.”
English (US) ·