Pablo Prigioni’s Argentina beat Puerto Rico for the AmeriCup

Basketball

The renovation is underway. With the arrival of Pablo Prigioni to the Argentine basketball team, a change was evidenced after the departure of Néstor “Che” García. Led by Prigioni, the national team easily and with great solvency overcame Puerto Rico by 99-86 in its second presentation of the tournament that takes place in Recife, Brazil.

With collective play and solidity, the team led by the Cordovan will close Group B tomorrow, at 8:10 pm, against the Dominican Republic, who defeated the Virgin Islands 77-58.

With Facundo Campazzo as the axis of the team and his 17 points, 15 assists and 6 steals, Argentina was able to defeat a difficult rival who forced them to give an extra, a little more and led Gabriel Deck to convert 27 points to establish himself as the top scorer and to the always important contribution, on and off the field, of Nicolás Laprovíttola who added 20 points. In addition, Leandro Bolmaro collaborated with 7 points, Juan Pablo Vaulet 4 points and 2 steals and José Vildoza a goal.

If against the weak Virgin Islands, Argentina had shown an improved version with respect to its previous version, yesterday, against the Puerto Ricans, it raised another bar in terms of criteria, effectiveness and sensitivity to prevail in key moments. The first quarter was even, 21 to 19 for Argentin, while the second was close again: 47 to 44. However, from the third part, Argentina was able to stretch the gap to 10 points (75 to 65) . Already in the fourth period, the Argentines maintained the advantage and, at times, even increased it.

Pablo Prigioni’s analysis:

“Everything starts with the defense that the team did. The guys did a great job with the game plan that we had proposed and that allowed us to run the field with transition points. Historically, Argentina passes the ball and that is a point on which we continue to emphasize.”, specified the Argentine coach Pablo Prigioni. And he added: “Playing dynamic doesn’t mean shooting fast, but moving, playing fast and moving the ball. There are also assists. We played a very complete game, we had the patience to wait for our moment, which was in the third quarter where we parted ways. We lowered that intensity and that’s why we were able to take the game “.

How is the AmeriCup played?

Those selected from each group will face each other in the initial phase and the two best in each zone plus the two best third parties will advance to the Final Phase, which will begin in the quarterfinals. Then there will be semifinals and the definition will be on September 11.