Puerto Rico pull away from Angola for first win

BELGRADE (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Less than 24 hours after losing the opener to hosts Serbia, Puerto Rico showcased their depth and surged to a 91-81 win over Angola on Day 2 of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.  

Turning Point: A triple by Juan Jose Barea with 4:43 left in the second quarter capped off an 11-1 burst and Puerto Rico got their first double-digit lead in the game, 36-26. They stretched the lead to as many as 30 points early in the final frame before a last-ditch assault by Angola reduced the gap.

Stats Don't Lie: No less then 10 Puerto Rico players wrote their name on the scoresheet as the 'Boricuas' got almost half their points, 44, off the bench. Puerto Rico shared the wealth in every sense and dished out a collective 22 assists, to Angola's 10.

Game Hero: Carlos Arroyo came on late in the first quarter with his team trailing by seven and conjured 11 points on 4-for-4 from the floor and added three assists in just over seven minutes to turn the game on its head.

The Bottom Line: Puerto Rico finish at 1-1 in Group A and now have to wait the result of Wednesday's game between Angola and Serbia. Angola's only option now is to defeat the hosts if they are to advance to the semi-finals.

FIBA