PUR - Frustrated Melendez remains upbeat

SAN JUAN (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - When the Dominican Republic brought an end to Puerto Rico's hegemony at the Centrobasket over the weekend with an 80-72 triumph in the final, it marked the second time in less than a year that Flor Melendez’s side had lost to its Caribbean rivals in an important game.

At the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship in Mar del Plata, Argentina, the Dominicans beat the Puerto Ricans, 103-89, in the bronze-medal clash.

Puerto Rico had won the previous two Centrobasket titles in 2008 and 2010, beating the Dominican Republic along the way, but John Calipari’s team now has a winning streak going against Melendez’s team.

The Puerto Rico coach was not in panic mode after the latest setback, but he will be if Puerto Rico do not start playing better by next week, when they compete at the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Caracas, Venezuela.

"The ball wouldn't go in,” Melendez said of Sunday’s loss.

“It didn't go in at crucial times.

“They were better shooting and when the ball doesn't go in, it's difficult.”

There will be another point for Melendez to drive home to his players.

They must stick with the game-plan and make the extra pass instead of electing to go one-on-one.

"We started playing a good game,” he said, “but we changed our way of playing and we stopped giving continuity to our offensive plays and instead we opted for individual plays and they hit us with a 20-6 run.

“The rest of the game we came from behind and the ball didn't go in like in other games."

Even in the defeat, though, Melendez felt there was cause for optimism.

He hailed some of his players like Ricky Sanchez, Daniel Santiago and Alexander Franklin.

"Ricky, in all the games in Argentina and also in this tournament, was the best player that defended (Dominican Republic superstar Al) Horford.

"Offensively he was very good.

“Daniel is a constant of our centers.

“He is the big man that always plays well.

“Franklin proved that he can defend small and big players well and that is why he started in our last few games.

“He plays hard."

Puerto Rico will face Greece and Jordan in Group A of the OQT.

FIBA