PUR - Boricuas meet their main objective

SAN JUAN (FIBA Americas Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Puerto Rico haven't had much luck with buzzer-beating shots in recent times.

In 2009, when the FIBA Americas Championship was staged in San Juan, the team suffered a 61-60 heartbreak in the Final when Carlos Arroyo missed from the right wing while in 2011, the Boricuas an opportunity to win at the death against hosts Argentina in the Semi-Finals but Jose Barea's three-pointer was off the mark.

Both Arroyo and Barea had to attempt difficult shots with defenders guarding them closely.

Puerto Rico came up short once again this month when a wide-open Alex Galindo misfired from the arc at the end of the FIBA Americas Championship title game against Mexico.

The Mexicans celebrated a 91-89 triumph.

When the Puerto Rican players returned home to San Juan and addressed the fans, they received a warm reception.

The main objective had been to qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, something the squad did by reaching the Semi-Finals in Caracas, Venezuela, where the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship was held.

"We are very happy with the work we did," said Barea, who averaged 15.6 points and a team-high 4.2 assists per contest.

Puerto Rico, coached by Spaniard Paco Olmos, won seven of their 10 games, and beat the likes of Argentina, Brazil, Canada and hosts Venezuela.

The Mexicans, however, twice defeated Puerto Rico.

Galindo didn't shy away from the supporters.

At the airport, he stood on the stage with his teammates and when he stepped up to the microphone to address the crowd, the 2.00m forward smiled and vowed to make a game-winning shot the next time he had the opportunity.

"I will get it in," he said.

He also spoke about the importance of representing his country.

"To wear the Puerto Rico shirt abroad is something that as a boy, you dream about," he said.

"When you are on the court, you feel everything that the country is giving you.

"There are a lot of positive vibes."

In 2010, Puerto Rico's David Huertas did make a shot in the last seconds of their final game at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey against Cote d'Ivoire.

The African team won the game, but the basket reduced the margin of victory to 88-79 and that cost Cote d'Ivoire dearly as they failed to advance to the Eighth-Finals after losing a goal-differntial tie-breaker to China.

FIBA