MEDELLIN (FIBA AmeriCup 2017) - The lights went off at the Iván de Bedout Coliseum, and Group A’s action concluded at the FIBA AmeriCup 2017 that took place at the Colombian city of Medellin.

In the end, the Mexican National Team met everyone's expectations to be the winner of the Medellin leg, and took the only available pass to the event's Final Four, which will take place in Córdoba, Argentina, on September 2. Mexico will then have to face the Group B’s winners.

Those were three action-packed days that began on Thursday with a series of matches that were dramatic until the very last second. The rest of the encounters also kept spectator at the edge of their seats.

Here are some of the Group A highlights:

Passion for basketball

As many Latin American countries, Colombia is a nation where football (or soccer) is the main sport. The basketball National Team are far from reaching the popularity level that their football counterparts enjoy and yet, the perception at the court was that the public that went to the games during the three AmeriCup days were really invested in what was going on in the court.

“The Colombians’ passion was unbelievable, considering that it’s not a very popular sport here. A Nacional vs. Medellín (football) derby was taking place at the same time and still many people came out to see the Colombia vs. Puerto Rico game,” said Colin Foster, a journalist for the Brazilian sports media basquete360.com.

Like any average fans, the public of Medellin enjoyed their team’s performance. Chants such as “Sí se puede, sí se puede! (Yes, we can, yes we can!)” thundered within the stadium when Colombia came close to beating Brazil. Likewise, they furiously complained when things didn't go in their favor, thus showing how proud they are of their team.

“The best thing that the AmeriCup leaves behind is that it renewed the Colombian fans’ enthusiasm for basketball. We've witnessed it these days,” said Víctor García, a native Barranquilla journalist who works for sports media such as Frecuencia Deportiva and Latin Basket.

Mexico continues to dominate the Americas

The Mexican National Team has a rich basketball history that includes a 1936 Olympic gold medal from Berlin. However, since their last visit in 1976 to the Olympic stage, the Mexican team had been an inconsistent side until the beginning of the current decade. As a matter of fact, they never stood out at a FIBA America tournament. That was until 2013, when they surprised the continent with their gold win at the Caracas Olympic Qualifiers.

With their ticket to the AmeriCup Final Four, Mexico will fight for their place in the continental podium for the third time in a row. Before this, the biggest Mexican feat at a continental championship were the fifth places obtained in 1980 and 1984.

Since 2011, the Aztecs have exponentially grown: they won a silver medal at the Guadalajara Pan American Games, a gold at the 2014 edition of Centrobasket, and a pass on to the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup —their first world event in 40 years.

The development of new talent

The FIBA AmeriCup 2017 became the showcase for new figures that will surely keep appearing in their respective National Teams during the next years. At the Mexican side, we saw a 24-year old Point Guard named Alex Pérez, who is on his way to be a determining figure with a greater prominence in future competitions. We also witnessed Point Guard Diego Willis’ first steps in the Mexican jersey.

Regarding Colombia, it's necessary to highlight the game of big-man Tonny Trocha (Texas A&M), Shooting Gard Braian Angola (Florida State), and veteran Juan Tello (Neptunas, Lithuania).

For Puerto Rico, centers Tyler Davis and Jorge Bryan Díaz particularly stood out; as well as forwards Emmanuel Andújar and Gilberto Clavell. The Puerto Rican rebuilding seems to be well on its way, and the AmeriCup was a great learning experience for the Caribbean side.

“Puerto Rico's big men are a surprise for us. We're accustomed to see players like Carlos Arroyo and Larry Ayuso. They have very talented big men,” said Foster about the Boricua team.

Finally, 24-year old Small Forward Leandro Meindl is on his way to be indispensable for the Brazilian National Team. His effectiveness and field goal percentage were some of the best in the tournament. Besides him, another outstanding player in Brazil’s team was young 21-year old Point Guard Georginho de Paula, who strives to gain a spot at the Houston Rockets’ roster.

“There are many talented players, but Brazil’s Meindl surprised me very much. Davis, on the Puerto Rican side, played only a few minutes, but was the most dominant post player. Also significant is seeing Juan Tello, who’s been playing in Europe for some years now, but this is the first time we see him at an international tournament,” García highlighted.

FIBA