Belize lose 79-51 to Puerto Rico, finish eighth in FIBA U18 AmeriCup

Wilford Dawson (blue) scored 10 points for Belize against Puerto Rico on Sunday, June 9 – Photo Credit: FIBA

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Playing without star player Josiah Moseley, Belize lost their final game to Puerto Rico 79-51 and finished eighth in the FIBA U18 AmeriCup at the Estadio Obras Sanitarias in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday. (To see the game, click here).

Belize started out shocking Brazil 106-102 on Monday but couldn’t maintain the level after that and ended the tournament with a 1-5 record, the same as Puerto Rico who had lost all their first five games. Today’s win, however, gives the Centrobasket Champions the seventh position in the tournament.

Belize will now settle for the seventh place game against Puerto Rico at 9:40 am on Sunday while Venezuela will play Brazil for fifth place at 12:10 pm.

Devin Moody led Belize with 12 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Wilford Dawson netted ten points, seven rebounds, and two steals. Douglas Langford scored eight points, pulled 14 rebounds, and made one assist. Elijah Favela also scored eight points, pulled one rebound, and made two assists.

Douglas Langford pulled 14 boards and scored eight points for Belize against Puerto Rico on Sunday, June 9 – Photo Credit: FIBA

Alejandro Aviles led Puerto Rico with 18 points and 13 rebounds. He was complemented by Brandon Lee with 18 points and four rebounds and Isaiah Brown with 11 points and six rebounds.

This was Belize’s second loss to Puerto Rico. Last July, Puerto Rico won 91-60 over Belize in the FIBA U17 Boys CentroBasket Championship at the Belize City Civic Center enroute to winning the regional championship.

Venezuela take on Brazil for fifth place at 12:10 pm.

Later, the Dominican Republic face Canada for third place at 2:40 pm while hosts Argentina challenge the United States in the Final at 5:10 pm.

On Saturday, Brazil defeated Puerto Rico 69-55 in the first Classification 5-8 game while Venezuela dropped Belize 87-80 in the second Classification 5-8 game.

Then in the semifinals the United States blew Canada away 107-69 while Argentina defeated the Dominican Republic 75-66.

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