MANAGUA (Nicaragua) – Argentina’s path to the semi-finals looked distant, but the team refused to give up. With just 10 minutes left: they fought back, forced overtime, and defeated Puerto Rico 82-77 in the Quarter-Finals on Thursday at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex in Managua, Nicaragua. The Albiceleste secured their 14th all-time appearance in the AmeriCup’s Final Four. Juan Fernández delivered a historic performance with eight blocks, tying the tournament’s highest mark since 2003. As a team, Argentina also set a new record with 15 blocks in total.
Turning point
The decisive moment came with 8.2 seconds left in overtime, when José Vildoza sank two free throws to put the game out of reach at 82-77. Earlier, with 33 seconds on the clock, Fernández had converted a crucial basket that stretched the lead to three. Moments after Alfonso Plummer hit a triple for Puerto Rico. However, Puerto Rico’s collapse began before just over seven minutes left in regulation. Trailing by nine, Fernández scored five straight points to bring Argentina right back into the game and plant doubts in the Boricuas’ minds. They still had a chance to win it in regulation, but José Alvarado missed a three at the buzzer. The New Orleans Pelicans guard later left the game with an apparent injury after a hard fall with 2:10 left in overtime, and Puerto Rico down 76-74.
TCL player of the game
Juan Fernández put together a historic night with eight blocks, the most since 2003 when Puerto Rico’s Peter John Ramos posted the same mark. He was also vital on offense, punishing Puerto Rico’s defense in the high pick-and-roll with 18 points, while adding 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.
José Vildoza matched him with 18 points, including 4 three-pointers, many of them at critical moments. The guard also contributed 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Meanwhile, Nicolás Brussino recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds in his 19th AmeriCup appearance. He added four blocks to Argentina’s record tally. Gonzalo Corbalán also stood out with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. For Puerto Rico, José Alvarado scored 25 points, drilling 7 triples, with 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Big man Ismael Romero posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 boards.
Stats don’t lie
Argentina piled up seven blocks in the first quarter alone, a sign of what was to come. Their final tally of 15 set a new AmeriCup record, surpassing Venezuela’s 10 in both 2005 and 2007. The record-breakers were Juan Fernández (8), Nicolás Brussino (4), Francisco Cáffaro (2), and José Vildoza (1).
Other key numbers: Argentina shot 89 percent from the free-throw line (26-29) but committed 20 turnovers.
Bottom line
With this win, Argentina improved to 13 victories in 23 AmeriCup matchups against Puerto Rico. In the semi-finals, where the team holds a 9-4 record, they will face the winner between Canada and Colombia.
They said
José Vildoza is one of Argentina’s heroes. He said the win was a display of resilience. “We withstood their push and managed to overcome it. We put in a huge effort. As a team, this is going to strengthen us for what’s ahead. But there are things we need to improve, like taking care of the ball and avoiding lapses.”
FIBA