Contact: Mary Ullmann Japhet (210) 414-9030

Friday, June 30

Basketball

Note: There are two more games today:

Argentina/Canada, 5 p.m. CDT

USA/Brazil, 7 p.m. CDT

FIBA AMERICAS U-18 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MEN

SAN ANTONIO - Puerto Rico rallied from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to edge the Bahamas 79-77 Friday at the FIBA Americas U-18 Championship for Men at St. Mary's University's Greehey Arena.
Puerto Rico, 1-2 in the tournment and third in Group B, will next play Sunday for fifth and sixth place at 1 p.m. Central Time. The opponent will be the winner of the Bahamas (0-3, fourth in Group B) and Uruguay (0-2, third in Group A). The Bahamas and Uruguay play Saturday at 1 p.m.
In fourth quarter, Puerto Rico made up the difference by outscoring the Bahamas 25-11. The Bahmas led by six, 74-68, with 4:03 left in the contest. Puerto Rican guard Carlos Martinez scored all of the next six points and the game was tied at 74-74 with 2:50 on the clock. The Bahamas got as close as one point, 78-77, on a bucket by guard Kyle Grant with 42 seconds left. Puerto Rico led byas much as four points in the final seconds. Forward Luis Morales of Puerto Rico iced the victory with a basket with two seconds remaining.
Guard Guillermo Andino of Puerto Rico led the team with 17 points and Morales added 15. Darshtyn Baker, a guard from the Bahamas, was the game's leader with 18 points. Forward Mario Cooper scored 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Devaughn Jackson, a forward, amassed a game-leading 16 rebounds, while scoring seven points.
Puerto Rico shot 44 percent from the field (26 of 59) and 41 percent (11 of 27) from the three-point line. The Bahamas went 39 percent (29 of 75) from the field and made 7 of 20 three-pointers (35 percent). The Bahamas held a 48-28 advantage in rebounds.

FIBA AMERICAS U-18 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MEN
at Greehey Arena, St. Mary's University
San Antonio, Texas

FRIDAY'S PRELIMINARY ROUND

PUERTO RICO 79, BAHAMAS 77

Puerto Rico - Angel Garcia 2-5 5-5 11, Figueroa 1-4 0-0 3, Andres Torres 5-10 1-2 13, Carlos Martinez 3-8 3-4 11, C. Lopez 0-0 1-6, 1, J. Lopez 0-1 2-2, 2, Luis Morales 6-13 1-2 15, Menendez 0-1 0-0 0, Roman 0-3 0-0 0, Guillermo Andino 6-8 3-7 17, Clavell 3-6 0-2 6. Totals - 26-59 16-30 79.

FG% - 44%
3-PT.FG% - 41%
FT% - 53%

Bahamas - McPhee 1-5 0-0 3, Da rshtyn Baker 7-16 0-0 18, Missick 1-1 0-0 2, Kyle Grant 4-11 5-10 13, Farrington 3-5 0-0 6, Jackson 3-14 1-4 7, Mario Cooper 5-7 5-6 15, Adderley 3-9 0-0 8, Hunt 1-2 0-0 2, Pratt 1-3 0-1 2, Thompson 0-2 1-2 1. Totals - 29-75 12-23 77.

FG% - 39%
3-PT.FG - 35%
FT% - 52%

F Total fouls - Puerto Rico 19, Bahamas 23. Fouled out - Puerto Rico: A. Garcia. Technicals - none.

Rebounds - Puerto Rico 28 (A. Garcia 6), Bahamas 48 (Jackson 16).
Assists - Puerto Rico (12 (Morales 4), Bahamas 19 (McPhee 6).
Steals - Puerto Rico 9 (Martinez 3), Bahamas 9 (Jackson, Thompson, with 2 each).
Blocked shots - Puerto Rico 11 (C.Lopez 4), Bahamas 4 (Missick, Grant, Jackson, Cooper).
Turnovers - Puerto Rico 17, Bahamas 18.

Officials - Ter ry Moore, Oleg Latisevs, Pablo Sosa

Att. - 250.

Tournament records:

Puerto Rico 1-2 (3rd in Group B), Bahamas 0-3 (4th in Group B)

Teams next games:

Bahamas - Saturday, vs. Uruguay, 1 p.m. CDT

Puerto Rico - Sunday, vs. winner of Uruguay/Bahamas for 5th/6th place, 1 p.m. CDT

Post-Game Quotes

Friday, June 30, 2006

GAME #1 (Puerto Rico, 79 v. Bahamas, 77)

NAME: Jorge Otero

Head Coach, Puerto Rico

QUOTE:

“I tell my players to play hard no matter where they are in the standings. I tell them to play hard and have a great attitude.

I told the guys to play defense full court. The score was bad, but my players did play defense full court and won the game.

The other teams are good teams and have played in several tournaments. This group is a new group. Right now, my two best players are not playing in this tournament. A big guy 6’8” and the point guard Jose Soto, but these kids play hard in every practice and in every game and right now we’re in 5th place, so it’s a great game, a great victory for the team.”

NAME: Guillermo Andino, #14

POSITION: Player, Puerto Rico

QUOTE:

“I do what the coach says and when it’s time to play, I play hard. I’m always ready to do what the coach says.”