Brazil shook off hosts Puerto Rico for their fourth gold

2009 FIBA Americas Championship was held in Puerto Rico. This basketball loving Island welcomed ten teams to its capital San Juan, for a fortnight of action.

Following two tightly contested group stages, the four top teams of the second round group of eight qualified for the semi-finals of the FIBA Americas Championship and with it, earned their tickets to the World Championship in Turkey. The USA, not competing in Puerto Rico, qualify automatically as Olympic Champions.

Brazil faced Canada in the first of the two semi-finals. For the first half of the game the scores remained very tight, neither team being able to open up a substantial advantage.

Lying 28-27 at the halfway point, Brazil came out strongly and began to pull away from their North American opponents. In a quarter that saw Barbosa, Varejao and Alex Garcia move up a gear, Brazil scored 26 points - twice as many as Canada - finishing the third at 54-40.

Canada produced a very strong final quarter, at one point looking as if they might claw their way back. Joel Anthony spearheaded the attack, with Andy Rautins and Olu Famutimi backing him up, as Canada suddenly seemed to have found their range.

But the fight back came too late, and the damage had already been done. In spite of losing the fourth quarter 19-25 Brazil held on to win the game 73-65 and book their place in the final.

In the other semi-final, host team Puerto Rico met Argentina in another great game. The Puerto Ricans jumped to an early lead but Argentina reacted with a 14-0 run to take the first quarter 20-13.

After a close second quarter, narrowly won by the Argentinians (21-19), Puerto Rico looked in trouble trailing by 9 points. Larry Ayuso came to the rescue as the home team fought their way back to end the third only two points behind (58-60).

Both teams could have won it in the end, but Puerto Rico’s completed their come back in the fourth, which they also took by eight points, winning the game 85-80.

Ultimately though, Scola’s game high of 31 was cancelled out by the fact that Puerto Rico finished the game with four players in double figures. Argentina were left to regret the lack of supporting cast.

The final of the FIBA Americas Championship was played in front of a packed stadium in San Juan, in front of 10’000 basketball fans.

As they had in the semi-final, Puerto Rico got off to a slow start to the game. Barbosa, who finished the night with the high score of 24, and Tiago Splitter (13 with 9 rebounds) helped Brazil set up a substantial advantage, taking each of the first three quarters to set up a lead of 13.

Puerto Rico seemed dead and buried. And yet had Arroyo made his three pointer on the buzzer, the Puerto Rico would have been crowned Champions.

In a final quarter that saw an almost surreal comeback, with players coming off the bench to produce a great defensive and offensive display, Puerto Rico asked every question of the Brazilians, taking the fourth 23-11 but falling just short.

With a final score of 61-60, Brazil were crowned FIBA Americas Champions for the fourth time.

"We knew the final would be a very difficult game," Brazil guard Leandro Barbosa said after pouring in a game-high 24 points. "Therefore, even when we built a good advantage, the game wasn't won. In the final minute, we possessed enough calm to withstand the pressure and win the first of many titles for this new team."

Brazil center Tiago Splitter was extremely happy. "We managed to overcome the home team and a crowd of 10’000," he said. "Let's celebrate because we deserve it and we share this achievement with the Brazilian fans."

Final standings:

1. Brazil
2. Puerto Rico
3. Argentina
4. Canada
5. Dominican Republic
6. Uruguay
7. Mexico
8. Panama
9. Venezuela
10. Virgin Islands

Official event website:
puertorico2009.fiba.com