MANAGUA (Nicaragua) – The Dominican Republic secured an 84-59 victory over Colombia on the opening day of the FIBA AmeriCup 2025. The Caribbean squad, led by star player David Jones-García, earned its first win, placing the team at the top of Group C (along with Argentina) in the tournament held at the Alexis Arguello Sports Complex in Managua, Nicaragua.
Turning point
The Dominican Republic effectively closed out the final minutes of the second and third quarters. A 10-0 run before halftime gave them an 11-point lead (44-33) heading into the second half. Then, Néstor "Che" García’s team did the same in the third quarter, finishing with a 9-2 run to take an 18-point lead (66-48) into the final stretch, securing the victory.
TCL player of the game
David Jones-García showed his NBA credentials and stepped up for a Dominican team where four players scored in double digits.
The San Antonio Spurs forward finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal for an efficiency rating of 24. Other notable players were Jassel Pérez (16 points and 6 rebounds), Joel Soriano (13 points and 5 rebounds), and Andrés Feliz (10 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds). For Colombia, the best players were Braian Angola with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists, as well as Romario Roque with 15 points, 5 steals, 3 assists, and 3 boards.
Stats don’t lie
The Dominican team was more efficient, shooting 52 percent from the field, while the Colombians only made 30 percent of their shots, with just 5 three-pointers in 37 attempts (14 percent). The Dominicans also controlled transitions, scoring 35 points on fast breaks.
Bottom line
The nine assists by Andrés Feliz tied the record for a Dominican player in the AmeriCup since 2003. The Real Madrid player tied Luis Flores, who had nine assists on two separate occasions. Meanwhile, Romario Roque set a record for Colombia with 5 steals in a single game.
They said
Néstor García highlighted his team's defensive adjustments after a close first quarter. "At the start, they rotated the ball very well, and we had to adjust on defense. After that, we went on a run that allowed us to build a lead that we managed until the end of the game," the Argentine coach stated in a press conference. Jones-García downplayed his recognition as Player of the Game, emphasizing the victory above all else. "Honestly, being the player of the game isn't important to me. From the beginning, I told the coach and my teammates that the important thing is to win. In the end, it doesn't matter who plays well; what matters is bringing joy to our country," he concluded.
FIBA