HAVANA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) – After two painful defeats –including one during this window– Mexico gave a breath of fresh air to their aspirations of continuing in the FIBA Basketball World Cup China 2019 Qualifiers, after defeating Cuba, 75-52, in the capital of the greatest of the Antilles.

Mexico now have a 2-2 record in the World Cup Qualifiers, and both triumphs were against the Cubans. For their part, Cuba fell into a dangerous 0-4 and are practically forced to win their two next games in the summer window if they wish to advance to the second part of the Qualifiers in September.

After three quarters in which both played a discrete offense, Mexicans and Cubans exchanged long-distance throws, but the visitors made the most and defined the encounter with a three-point shot by Héctor Hernández nearing the end of the 24 seconds. Later on, Juan Toscano shot a two-pointer thus establishing a 63-47 score with 4:58 left to play.

The visiting team then set forth an attempt to widen their advantage, which surpassed the 20 points with a three-point shot by Irwin Ávalos, with 2:42 left in the clock. For the rest of the road, Cuba stopped playing and Mexico kept adding points, including a spectacular slam-dunk before leaving Havana with a smile on their faces.
For Mexico –who did not count on star Francisco “Paco” Cruz for this match– Álex Pérez was the best player, with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Héctor Hernández added nine points and 12 rebounds, while Toscano contributed 18 points and five steals.

Jasiel Rivero led the Cuban attack, with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Javier Justiz once again played a discreet offensive game –this time, with only 9 points– although he did recover 14 rebounds and blocked three times. Cuba had problems again with the offense, only attaining a 35.7% in field goal attempts, with only four three-pointers in 16 attempts, and as for the free throws, only a 53.3% effectiveness rate was achieved. In their two losses this window, Cuba could not surpass 60 points in either game.

For Mexico this is a very important victory, since in the summer they will play their two final first window matches as locals against United States (June 28) and then will visit Puerto Rico (on July 1st). Mexico's losses were against the US team (by 36 points) and the Puerto Ricans (20).

Cuba will have the same appointments as the Mexicans; first, visiting Puerto Rico on June 28, and then as locals against United States on July 1st.

Mexico wanted to establish a distance from the locals since the first quarter. Consecutive three-point shots by Pérez and Toscano propelled a 12-0 advance to elevate the visitors, 19-6, with 4:33 left in the first quarter. The Mexicans took the first 10 minutes, 26-12, thanks to Pérez’s eight points.

However, Cuba did not give up and showed drive in their next quarter. Alongside Rivero (five points) and Justiz (with four), Cuba had a 10-0 streak that moved them closer, 27-24. Mexico had a break thanks to a three-pointer by Pérez, which set them in a comfortable 34-26 before dominating the first half, 35-28.

The third quarter had a very low scoring, but Mexico did the best part. A three-point shot by Hernández gave the double-digit advantage to the visiting team, 44-32, with 4:08 left on the clock.

The Cubans tried to keep up the fight and with a two-pointer by Rivero they closed in 46-37, but Pérez immediately imitated his lay-up and took control back of the game, 48-37. Mexico won the third quarter, 15-9, during 10 minutes in which the offense did not flow for either side.

FIBA