Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Win gives Puerto Rico shot at Olympic berth

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Thursday, July 22, 1999

Win gives Puerto Rico shot at Olympic berth
Home team avoids semifinal against United States with 80-75 victory over Canadian team
Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A turnover by Steve Nash on the game's final possession allowed Puerto Rico to defeat Canada 80-75 Wednesday night in a crucial Olympic qualifier game.
   Under a complicated tiebreaking formula, Puerto Rico needed to win by at least four points to avoid playing the United States in the semifinals. And everyone in the raucous Roberto Clemente Coliseo knew it as Nash brought the ball upcourt with 18 seconds left and Canada trailing by five.
   Nash drove to his right and threw a crosscourt pass that was picked off. Sherman Hamilton of Canada stole the ball back and got off a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it missed.
   The result set up a likely semifinal rematch between Puerto Rico and Canada on Saturday, when one of two berths in the 2000 Olympics will be at stake.
   "I think it'll be tough for both teams. I know it will be tough for them to beat us twice," said Nash, who plays for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.
   The United States, which played Venezuela later Wednesday night, will likely play Argentina for the other Olympic berth.
   Jose Ortiz scored the final seven points for Puerto Rico on a 3-pointer with 1:38 left for a 76-75 lead, a jump hook with 53 seconds left for a 78-75 lead, and a layup among three defenders with 18 seconds left for the crucial five-point lead.
   After a timeout, Canada had one last chance to get a basket that would force Puerto Rico into a likely semifinal matchup with the United States.
   "We knew that if we made a basket, they were out, and if we lost by more than nine points, we were out," Nash said.
   "We didn't want to turn it over, so I threw a nice crosscourt pass," he said, shaking his head at his mistake. "I went to throw it back to our big guy, but he went to the basket when I thought he was going to pop out. It went right by him."
   The crowd went wild as the buzzer sounded, knowing that Puerto Rico's chances for a second straight Olympic berth had vastly improved.
   Puerto Rico led for almost the entire first half and took a 45-44 lead to the locker room at halftime. Hamilton opened the second half with a 3-pointer and Philadelphia 76ers draft pick Todd MacCulloch followed with a basket for a four-point lead.
   Puerto Rico retook the lead on a fast-break layup by Jerome Mincy and a 3-pointer by Carmelo Travieso to start a 9-0 run, leaving Canada playing catch-up for the next 10 minutes until Michael Meeks tied it at 67 with 6:58 left and MacCulloch made a put-back 38 seconds later to put Canada up 69-67.
   Neither team scored again until Eddie Casiano made a 3-pointer to put Puerto Rico up 70-69 with 3:07 left, and Nash made a 3-pointer with 21/2 minutes left for a 73-70 lead.
   Edgar Padilla hit a 3-pointer to tie it and MacCulloch converted a layup with 1:56 left, setting the stage for Ortiz's three clutch shots and Nash's critical turnover.
   In earlier games, Brazil defeated Uruguay 100-74 and Argentina beat the Dominican Republic 85-71.

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