The Dominican national basketball team defeated Team Canada 88-76 (19-16, 25-14, 18-16, 26-30) in the two-day FIBA Americas Qualifier that took place in Santiago de los Caballeros at the Arena del Cibao. The DR ended the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifiers undefeated.
Rigoberto Mendoza was on fire, scoring 25 points including four of five three-point throw attempts. Other top scorers for the Dominican Republic were Edward Santana (16 points), and team captain Victor Liz (14 points).
This is only the fourth time that the DR team has defeated Canada in the past 16 matches in the past 15 years. The DR had also won in 2013, 2003 and 1995. Into the match, the Dominican Republic was ranked 17th by FIBA, while Canada was ranked 25th.
Prior to the Canada win, the Dominican Republic had defeated Team US Virgin Islands (ranked 51st) 99-89.
Dominican team players are: Eloy Vargas, Sadiel Rojas, Eulis Baez, Victor Liz, Rigoberto Mendoza, Dagoberto Peña, Gerardo Suero, Jonathan Araujo and Edward Santana.
The US Virgin Islands, Canada, Dominican Republic and Bahamas (ranked 59th) are part of Group D of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers (Americas).
The First Round Qualifiers Americas will continue next in Nassau, Bahamas when the DR goes against Bahamas on Thursday, 22 February 2018. And then again in Santiago at the Gran Arena del Cibao when it matches the US Virgin Islands again on Sunday, 25 February 2018.
Afterwards, the DR will travel to Canada to play Canada on Friday, 29 June 2018 in Halifax, Canada. And then the Bahamas on Monday, 2 July 2018 the Dominican team will face Bahamas again in Santiago at the Gran Arena del Cibao.
Read more:
FIBA Basketball
Basketball Canada
El Caribe
Diario Libre
28 November 2017
