AmeriCup: Argentina edge Puerto Rico in extra time to reach the semi-finals | OneFootball

The Albiceleste won a tough match 82 to 77 and made it into the top four of the tournament. The other semi-final is between Brazil and the United States.

In a huge game, Argentina secured their place in the semi-finals after defeating Puerto Rico 82-77 in overtime. Prigioni's team showed great character to qualify among the top four in the Americup.

Argentina's best were José Vildoza with 18 points, Gonzalo Corbalán with 14, Nico Brussino with 11 and 10 rebounds, and Juan Fernández, with 12 and 8 blocks. The best for the Puerto Ricans were the 23 points from José Alvarado and 17 plus 10 rebounds from Ismael Romero.

Argentina started the game ready to fight it from the physical contact with a zone defense where they managed to shut down the defensive rebound. From there they ran and found collective scoring with ordered offenses, with 3/5 in triples, to take advantages of 18-11 at the end of the first quarter.

The key entry of an unstoppable Alfonso Plummer from three points with 3 consecutive triples allowed the Puerto Ricans to grow at the start of the second quarter with a 13-3. Argentina was firm in defense, but lost fluidity in offense and with low effectiveness in the paint (2/10). But Prigioni's team did not lower their intensity and held up in the game from defense and running to reach halftime up by 36-35 against a team from González that held up thanks to 4 triples from Alvarado.

Puerto Rico's NBA point guard continued to hurt at the start of the third and taking advantage of Argentina's defensive oversights from his hierarchy, with an 11-3 that put them ahead. From there the Albiceleste was more static in offense and depended on Vildoza's shot, while on the other side the Puerto Ricans grew in their confidence in shooting (4/7 in the quarter), and fed in the paint to an unstoppable Romero with his physical power. Thus, the Caribbeans closed ahead by 59-51.

The zone defense again gave great solutions to Argentina, which gradually narrowed differences and got within one possession with 5 minutes left. However, when all the conditions were there to take the step in the score, some driving errors gave a 4-0 to Puerto Rico that gave them the advantage back. From defense the Albiceleste held up with a Juan Fernández who shut down the paint with the helps and 4 blocks (8 in total), until two free throws from Corbalán gave them the tie at 70 with 21 seconds left after 5 offenses that ended in failed three-point attempts. There Alvarado missed the last attempt and everything went to overtime.

Juani Marcos took the team on his shoulders at the start of overtime and with good penetrations gave them minimal advantages, although Puerto Rico hurt with Alvarado until he left due to injury. There, Prigioni's team hurt with Fernández's falls in the paint, who continued to do a great defensive job to close a huge victory and qualify for the semi-finals.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.