FIBA World Cup: Puerto Rico, Venezuela make Americas look good
By Phil Watson
Balkman big in Puerto Rico win
At Guangzhou, Puerto Rico got stops against a tiring Tunisia late in the game to pull out a 67-64 win and earn a trip to the second round out of Group C.
Tunisia, which won its first-ever FIBA World Cup game over Iran on Monday, led 64-59 with a little more than 4½ minutes remaining, but never scored again.
Puerto Rico’s fresh legs made the difference late. No one on their roster played more than Renaldo Balkman‘s 32 minutes, while Tunisia only went seven deep in the game, with Omar Abada playing the entire 40 minutes, Mourad El Mabrouk logging 39 minutes and Michael Roll going for 37.
Balkman led Puerto Rico with 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocks while battling the bigger Salah Mejri and Makram Ben Romdhane inside all day. Puerto Rico had a 46-34 rebounding edge, including 16-8 on the offensive window.
Gary Browne, whose step-back 3 with 5.1 seconds left was the game-winner, finished with eight assists to go with nine points.
Puerto Rico wasn’t artistic, with 16 turnovers to go with 38.8 percent (26-for-67) shooting, hitting 5-of-13 (38.5 percent) from deep. Tunisia countered with 35.5 percent (22-for-62) overall and made only 3-of-24 from 3-point range (12.5 percent).
Abada and Mejri scored 14 points each for Tunisia, with Mejri getting nine rebounds. Ben Romdhane finished with 12 points and nine boards, while Roll had 13 points and five assists.
Spain finished group play a perfect 3-0 despite a very imperfect finish, as they struggled to beat winless Iran 73-65. Spain’s experience showed late, as they outscored Iran 8-0 over the final 1:49 of the game.
Sergio Llull put Spain up to stay with a 3-pointer and Victor Claver‘s dunk with 55 seconds left after Hamed Haddadi turned the ball over for Iran iced it.
Iran came out swinging, punching the Spaniards in the mouth by opening the game with 10 consecutive points before Spain finally broke the goose egg 3:10 into the first quarter.
Spain, which clinched a spot in the second round with a win over Puerto Rico on Monday, was sloppy with 14 turnovers and shot the ball poorly as well, hitting 42 percent (27-for-64) overall and making 9-of-30 (30 percent) from 3-point range.
Iran hit 42 percent as well (26-for-62) and was 8-for-18 from deep (44.4 percent). Marc Gasol of the Toronto Raptors paced Spain with 16 points, while Juan Hernangomez of the Charlotte Hornets went for 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Mohammad Jamshidijafarabadi scored 14 points for Iran and Haddadi had a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds to go with six assists.
Spain (3-0) and Puerto Rico (2-1) head to Group J in Wuhan for the second round. Puerto Rico will play Serbia at 4:30 a.m. Friday, while Spain battles Italy at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.
Tunisia (1-2) will play the Philippines to open classification round Group N in Beijing, with Iran and Angola tangling on Friday as well.