Unbeaten Canadian men beat Puerto Rico to finish 1st in Group B at AmeriCup

Canada Edges Puerto Rico in Close Contest at FIBA AmeriCup Men’s Tournament

After dominating their first two games in the FIBA AmeriCup men’s tournament, Canada faced a tough challenge against Puerto Rico in the final Group B matchup on Monday night in Managua, Nicaragua.

Both teams entered the game with perfect 2-0 records in the four-team group, guaranteeing their spots in the upcoming quarterfinals.

Canada held a slim 36-34 lead at halftime and a narrow 58-57 advantage heading into the final quarter. The game featured 14 lead changes as both teams fought for control down the stretch.

With just 90 seconds remaining in the game, Canada clung to a 73-71 lead before going on a crucial six-point run to secure a 79-71 victory with 13 seconds left on the clock.

Kyshawn George led Canada with 17 points and five rebounds, while Mfiondu Kabengele contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds. Trae Bell-Haynes added 11 points, Marcus Carr scored 10, and Leonard Miller chipped in with nine points and nine rebounds.

Jose Alvarado paced Puerto Rico with 20 points and five rebounds, supported by Gian Clavell’s 19 points and seven assists. George Conditt the Fourth led the team in rebounds with eight.

Canada finished the game shooting 48 percent from the field, compared to Puerto Rico’s 41 percent.

In key statistical categories, Canada led in rebounds (41-40), points in the paint (42-38), and points off the bench (28-19). Puerto Rico held advantages in steals (8-3), blocks (6-5), points off turnovers (14-7), and second-chance points (13-10).

Earlier in the day, Venezuela secured a 77-73 victory over Panama to claim third place in Group B with a 1-2 record. Panama finished at the bottom of the group with a 0-3 record.

Canada started the tournament with an impressive 88-54 win over Venezuela on Friday, followed by a dominant 99-49 victory over Panama on Saturday.