The 12 Mexican Warriors' 2013 feat

"It's obvious that we didn't expect to be champions. Our idea was to be able to compete and that Mexico, after a few editions with no participation, started to build a national team that went to every international tournament, so that players could represent their country in every opportunity, and create an identity. In a strictly athletic sense, we tried to be competitive, we tried to change that individual attitude, and start playing as a team.” That's what Sergio Valdeolmillos remembers, seven years later, of the panorama he faced in his first FIBA Americas tournament. The Spanish coach, as well as the rest of the protagonists of the story, didn’t imagine that he would lead Mexico to glory. They surprised everyone, and they surprised themselves.

Sergio Valdeolmillos

The Mexican team hadn't qualified for the continental competition that would take place in Venezuela from August 30 to September 11, 2013. However, the sanction to the Panama Federation opened the door for the Mexicans. It was an invitation to a party that Mexico intended to enjoy to the fullest.

The champion team's tour began against the hosts in a sold-out and ecstatic Poliedro de Caracas. The Mexicans didn’t allow themselves to feel overwhelmed by their surroundings and took the win, 65-56, with 22 points and 18 rebounds by Gustavo Ayón. For Valdeolmillos, that first step was crucial: "From the first day, we started to build up on small objectives, game after game. The debut was vital for us, although I knew that it wouldn't be a determining factor because it was against the hosts, and Venezuela's a good team. I knew that defeating them in the first game at home would give us a lot of confidence and many positive things. We had played a friendly match against them that helped us a lot, and we also had time to prepare for that game more than for the rest – and we did so knowingly – because once the tournament started, we would play practically every day. We were really focused. Besides, we also knew that Venezuela had a certain pressure; in fact, they had a pretty wavering first phase. That win allowed us to get into position. What we realized from the get-go was that the defensive aspect would be a tactical priority, which is why we focused more on this subject. The important thing was that the defense was a collective thing and that it wasn't about players who did well individually. We then applied that to the rest of the game. In the beginning, we discovered that we could do something more, although we didn't know up to what point we would get to."

Gustavo Ayón

In the two subsequent encounters, Mexico continued its successful path. Paraguay, the championship’s weakest team, wasn't a difficult hurdle to jump: 87-65, with 17 points by Orlando Méndez. Later, the Dominican Republic wasn't a complicated opposing team either: 85-61, with 26 points by a remarkable Méndez. The sun was shining bright for Valdeolmillos’ team. However, several clouds appeared on the horizon. Against Argentina, the Mexicans lost in the conclusion of the first phase, by an overwhelming 98-78. Then, at the start of the second round, they lost against Canada, 89-67. The coach remembers: "In the beginning, those were the two strongest teams. Canada had several NBA, and Argentina was coming in with a system they had already established for years, and with experienced players. In those games, we paid dearly for our insecurities. We stepped on the court, thinking that we couldn’t defeat them. After those defeats, we realized that we didn't compete at our best level, that we needed to have another approach, and that mentally we didn't face those games as we should have. That allowed us to analyze everything and get to the semifinals with another mindset. We demanded ourselves to take a step forward, and we committed to competing at 200% and do the best we could in whatever depended on us."

The team's recovery came with three victories that gave Mexico the first grand prize: qualifying to the World Cup, an event they had participated for the last time in 1974. The team defeated Uruguay 87-73, with 17 points by Ayón; then they overcame Jamaica 100-89, with 25 by Héctor Hernández; and, finally, Puerto Rico, 66-59, with 13 points scored by Noé Alonzo.

Héctor Hernández

The Mexicans turned into the tournament’s surprise, but that wasn't enough for them. Their semifinals rivals were Argentina, with Luis Scola as its leader, and a Facundo Campazzo in evolution. In a memorable duel, the Mexicans imposed their dominance, 76-70, with 24 points and 12 rebounds by Ayón. Without a doubt, Valdeolmillos was able to convince his players that they were capable of doing it all, and he explains how: "At these types of tournaments it's crucial to rid your mind of the most recent game, whether you won or lost. We worked that aspect well, and ours was a positive dynamic. The joint development at the defensive level made us believe that in the attack, we needed to pass the ball more and be as giving as in the defense. As the tournament went on, we were better than almost everyone in the defense, we rebounded well, and we did it as a team. In the attack, we were able to leave our egos aside and become a squad that passed the ball and was generous. The key was the motivation of facing Argentina again and having the team be aware that it wasn't about if Gustavo Ayón, Orlando Méndez, or Jorge Gutiérrez played well, but that everyone had to do it. In that game, Lorenzo Mata did excellent defensive work, and in the attack, he was benefited by what his teammates executed. That was an example of what we were trying to instill on the players.”

Jorge Gutiérrez

Puerto Rico was expecting Mexico in the final. In their previous encounter, the Puerto Ricans had saved their three stars: José Juan Barea, Carlos Arroyo, and Renaldo Balkman. For the gold medal, however, it was all men on deck. “We had faced Puerto Rico in the last game of the second phase. Knowing that nothing was really at risk, they thought that it wasn't too important to get ready. We, however, did the opposite, because I thought that if we defeated them and we then had them as rivals in the final, my players would have more confidence and would be sure of themselves thanks to the previous game. What happened was that, when we indeed played against Puerto Rico in the final, we did so neck-to-neck, and we won," Valdeolmillos points out. That final, in which the Spanish coach was ejected in the first half, was ever-changing. Mexico won, 91-89, with 23 points by Jovan Harris. Another brilliant performance by Ayón (20 points and 16 rebounds) granted him the MVP title of the tournament. The center's well-deserved accolade was the golden conclusion of an achievement that overcame all the expectations and dreams of the most optimistic fans.

And like this, Mexico got their only continental title. It's a feat that will be even greater as time goes by. Valdeolmillos contextualizes: “It's probably the greatest feat in the history of Mexican basketball. However, probably the most important thing wasn't being champions of the Americas, but demonstrating that with organization, preparation, being demanding, and having an adequate planning process, one can get far. We gave players the importance they deserve, and we showed that Mexico, a basketball powerhouse, could reach great objectives. It's a country where basketball is followed very much, and it has the capability of being very much ahead of what it is now. To place it where it should be, it needs constant attention, continuity, seriousness, and perseverance. And that's achieved with an organized and hierarchal federation that defends and gives importance to its players.”

The 12 Warriors, as this Mexican team was popularly known, wrote down in history the most glorious page of its country. Unfortunately, the achievement didn’t last too long. The flame stayed alive for a few years more and then lost its warmth. Mexico is still on time to spark the fire again. Going over that iconic 2013 performance, and everything positive that surrounded it, can serve as a roadmap.

Pablo Cormick
FIBA