SANTO DOMINGO (Dominican Republic) – Dominican Republic picked up a massive victory Friday night, defeating Canada 74-65 to get much closer to securing a berth in the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup.
Turning point
The overjoyed crowd at Pabellón Ricardo Gioribier Arias in Santo Domingo pushed the home squad as they took control early in the second half. Nestor García’s guys opened the third quarter on a 10-2 run to stretch their lead to 13 points. They would go on to nurse their double-digit lead throughout most of the second half before Canada made a late run in the fourth quarter to cut it to 8 points. However, the Caribbeans answered with a 7-0 run to seal the deal. Jassel Pérez stuck the dagger with a three-pointer with 3:24 to go to make it 71-56.
Player of the game
Andrés Feliz led the way with 18 points, going 8-for-18 from the field. David Jones added 13 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, while Pérez had 10 on 2-for-5 from beyond the arc. However, it was Jean Montero who got the most creative bucket of the night:
Mfiondu Kabengele (12 points and 10 rebounds) and Trae Bell-Haynes (12 points, 6 boards and 6 assists) had solid performances for Canada. Thomas Kennedy added 10 points off the bench.
Stats don’t lie
Dominican Republic led during 38:02 of the 40 minutes of the game thanks to their near-flawless execution. They converted 18 Canadian turnovers into 21 points and dominated the paint 52-40. Moreover, their 23-8 edge in transition allowed them to get easy buckets on a night where they only shot 4-for-21 from downtown. The home squad also held Canada to just 40.6 from the field, a key factor in handing them their first loss of the tournament.
Bottom line
With the win, Dominican Republic (3-2) could clinch their spot in this year’s AmeriCup if Nicaragua defeats Mexico Friday night in San Luis Potosí. Meanwhile, Canada (4-1) missed out on the chance to punch their ticket but remain atop Group C with the best odds of advancing.
FIBA