Mexico Surges Late to Outlast Bahamas

Trailing by two with just over two minutes left to play, team Bahamas was squandered several opportunities down the stretch in their first loss of the tournament.

The team suffered an 83-75 loss to Mexico in their second game of the FIBA Centrobasket Men’s U17 Championships in the Dominican Republic.

Both teams are now 1-1 in Group A.

Dominick Bridgewater led the Bahamas with 31 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and four assists, Raschad Greene had 12 points and 12 rebounds, Samuel Hunter added 15 points and eight rebounds.

Javier Gonzalez led Mexico with 32 points and nine rebounds, Moises Andriassi scored 17 and Arturo Castillon scored 12.

With just over two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter and the Bahamas trailing 72-70, Detarrio Thompson came up with a steal and chance to tie the game on a fastbreak layup but failed convert. Mexico took advantage of the mishap with a layup to make it a two possession game, a three pointer from Gonzalez and an Andriassi layup to give his team a 79-70 lead with 44 seconds left.

The Bahamas struggled from the field and shot just 29 percent for the game. They dished just eight assists while 24 of Mexico’s 31 made field goals came off of assists en route to shooting 51 percent from the field. Mexico also outscored the Bahamas on fastbreak points (24-15), points in the paint (48-34) and bench points (23-4).

After his 27 point performance in the opening day win against Guyana, Bridgewater picked up where he left off with a three pointer for the first score of the game. Hunter followed with a deep three and the Bahamas took an early 6-2 lead. Both teams went scoreless for just over two minutes before Bridgewater made another three to give the Bahamas a 10-4 lead. Mexico was in the bonus early with just over four minutes left to play in the quarter and was able to keep pace at the free throw line. A halfcourt trap forced the Bahamas three turnovers and Gonzalez tied the game from the line, 10-10. Davano Whitfield and Obrien Pearce made free throws late in the quarter and the Bahamas took a 16-15 lead at the end of the first.

Mexico took a 21-17 lead ,dominating the interior on both ends and reached their biggest lead of the game, 28-18 lead on a Gonzalez corner three and fastbreak layup. Bridgewater responded with the tip in and Grevaughn Goodman made a three to stop the run. Bridgewater scored seven in row, including his third three pointer of the game as the Bahamas battled back.. His runner regained a 34-32 lead for the Bahamas with 2:43 left to play in the half and they took a 36-36 tie into intermission. The Bahamas shot just 29 percent at the half but held a nine point advantage from beyond the three point arch

Bridgewater drove to the basket for the opening points of the third. The game was tied at 38 and 40 before Hunter scored twice and Greene made a fast break layup for a 46-40 lead. Mexico cut the lead to one on an Arredondo layup. Back to back fast break layups and a 6-0 run gave Mexico a 57-53 lead headed into the fourth quarter.

Mexico went ahead by as much as eight, 62-55 on Castillon three pointer. Bridgewater trimmed the deficit to six on his put back and Hunter’s baseline jumper cut the lead to three, 65-62 with 6:26 left to play. Goodman tied the game at 65 on the next possession with a step back three. Mexico went ahead 72-68 with three minutes left. Hunter cut it to 72-70 on a turnaround jumper, but it was as close as the Bahamas would get down the stretch.

The team returns to action on Friday when they face Puerto Rico at 5pm local time. Puerto Rico leads Group A with a 2-0 record thus far.

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