By Eurohoops Team/info@eurohoops.net
With five seconds remaining and the score 64 – 64 in the decisive Group C game between Puerto Rico and Tunisia, Gary Browne hit a 3-pointer to put his team up 67 – 64.
Tunisia’s Makram Ben Romdhane missed a 3-point attempt on the other end, and Puerto Rico got the win plus the qualification to Round 2 of the tournament. It’s the first time after 2002 that the Puerto Rican team advances past the first round.
“Thank God we came with the win. We’ve been working very hard to have what we have now. It feels very good to accomplish the qualification to the next round,” Browne said in the post-game presser.
“I’d be selfish if I said that it was just about the last shot. It’s a team sport. Everybody did a pretty good job offensively and defensivel. The coach also did a pretty good job to call the plays and tell us what we need to do in these situations,” Browne added.
The Tunisian team was up 52 – 60 in the beginning of the fourth quarter and was leading by five, 59 – 64, with 2:21 to play. David Huertas tied the game for Puerto Rico and then Browne scored the game-winner that sent their team to the next stage.
Browne finished with nine points and eight assists. Renaldo Balkman scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds while David Huertas dropped 10 points for the winning side.
Salaj Mejri posted 14 points and nine rebounds, Omar Abada 14 points, and Michael Roll 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL