“El Triple” heard around the world

ARGENTINA (FIBA AmeriCup 2017) - “It was a lucky shot, honestly. I threw and it went in. It’s one of those things you decide in just seconds,” said Facundo Campazzo during a press conference after Argentina’s 92-86 victory against Canada. He spoke about the Stadium’s burst of emotion when the National Team’s guard shot and scored those three points that will forever be in the memory of those that witnessed it at the Casanova Stadium, as well as the millions of fans that watched it on TV.

Campazzo, once again, played a fundamental role in yesterday's comeback against Canada during the last minutes of the second day of FIBA AmeriCup 2017's Group B. The Cordoba native did another one of his signature plays which —according Coach Sergio Hernández— have nothing to do with luck: “it's not my place to congratulate myself for the points he makes; because then it would seem like coaches have prepared that move where he turns and throws a three-pointer when there's only a second left and gets it. Those are the player’s virtues. At this height in the game, it’s not luck. When someone can achieve the same thing so many times, it's not luck anymore: it’s ability and talent.”

At the overtime, after a tie at 79 points, Real Madrid’s Guard took the ball back in the defense when 35 seconds were left in the clock, and Argentina was up 87-86. Canada had one possession left and Hernández’s team had no other choice but to score to not risk losing in the next play. That was when Campazzo took the decision that turned into that triple, that “lucky shot.”

Six feet and three inches tall NBA Knicks player, Xavier Rathan-Mayes —who was guarding Facundo—, couldn’t do anything about it. The 5’9” guard kept the ball in his hands, tried to break his way through the defensive line, turned, and when just a second was left, threw that bomb that almost ended the encounter.

The Argentine was the game’s outsanding shooter with 23 points (2/6 doubles, 4/8 triples and 7/8 free throws), and 5 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in his 27 minutes in the game.

His bomb shot also exploted in social media, thanks to his former National teammate, Emanuel Ginóbili, who clearly was excited:

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