The Cuban women’s team will play this Friday, against the Chilean hosts, to advance to the basketball semifinals of the XIX Pan American Games. This is a serious situation because of the loss suffered against Puerto Rico this Thursday.
Those led by Márgaro Pedoroso went to the field of Polideportivo Uno, located in the cluster of the National Stadium of Chile, with so much enthusiasm that they suggested a different result than the one that was finally made.
The poor score of 69-72 left many at a loss as our girls underwent a painful metamorphosis as the game progressed.
The repeated mistakes under the board, the misunderstanding between the main players and the passivity of the perimeter defense, something that the Puerto Ricans used very well, marked the disaster, unimaginable after dominating the opening quarter of 26-10
The first signs came in the next part with 16-17 against. And the certainty of “shipwreck” was experienced in the second half, when the Cubans hardly scored 27 points to their opponents’ 45.
“We played differently in the first two quarters. In the third we started to lose concentration and then we became desperate, but the spirit is good and tomorrow (Friday) we will go out and give everything,” explained captain Anisleidy Galindo, member of team that won the bronze. medal in the Toronto 2015 edition.
“The three-point shots at key moments hurt us a lot,” he recognized the weapon that Puerto Ricans used the most.
Those from the Isle of Enchantment made 30 long-distance shots and scored 13, most of them after the break. It differs from the few attempts of the Cubans and their low effectiveness (four out of 13).
At the individual level, Pamela Rosado established herself as the offensive mainstay of the winners and the top scorer of the game with 20 points. Ashley Torres and Tayra Meléndez each had seven rebounds to win the battle in the painted zone.
On the Cuban side, Elianis Armenteros served as a reference in the attack with 16 shots and his success from the perimeter, converting four of five shots.
The Cuban team debuted with success 86-74 against the Argentines, thanks to a very strong and harmonious game that is needed again to face the locals and a public majority against it.
“We are fighters, tomorrow we will go, one against one, they will not be allowed to play the game and win. “We must be one of the first two,” added the woman from Pinar del RÃo, the longest of field.
The Chileans arrive with the guarantee of defeating the Puerto Ricans in their first appearance, but the loss against the Gauchos this Thursday (71-87) forced them to win against Cuba to advance from group A.
The panorama seems to be very different in key B, where Brazil and Colombia add some successes and only their particular duel remains, which will define the first place. The opponent to face in the next round will depend on the order.
