Puerto Rico’s men’s basketball team qualified for the Olympics for the first time since 2004.
In the men’s basketball Olympic qualifying home tournament, Puerto Rico defeated Lithuania 79–68 in the deciding game.
Lithuania led the game 32–26 in the second period, but lost its grip and went into the break down 35–39. After that, Puerto Rico took advantage of its pace basket and kept command on the field.
NBA club New Orleans Pelicans defender Jose Alvarado was the winner’s number one with his accurate three-pointers (4/6) and 23 points. The other Puerto Rico decision players were also 180- and 183-centimeter backs when Tremont Waters bagged 18 and Jordan Howard 12 points.
Lithuanian NBA star, Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis scored ten points, grabbed nine rebounds and had four assists. Among the team’s successes was Rokas Jokubaitis with a balance of 3/16/3.
Puerto Rico was clearly more accurate in three-pointers, sinking six more long-range shots than Lithuania, whose three-point percentage was only 21.4. The winners had a total of 21 assists in the match, only 12 for Lithuania.
Puerto Rico will play in Group C at the Paris Olympics along with the United States, Serbia and South Sudan.
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, small Puerto Rico shocked the American NBA stars in the first group with a score of 92-73 (49-27).