What our basketball players have experienced growth in the individual order? It’s true. What contracts in foreign leagues have contributed to your technical development and the acquisition of a deeper vision? It is too. As well as the fact that there is still a long way to go as a whole to aspire to be familiar with the elite of the region.
On Thursday night, before a thirsty and euphoric crowd, gathered at the Ciudad Deportiva coliseum in the image and likeness of the 1999 Centrobasket; or the long-awaited World Volleyball Leagues, our team could not find the winning formula against Mexico, in their third foray into the Americas World Cup for the 2023 World Cup, a match in which they succumbed 82-72 (16- 16, 23-21, 28-17, 18-15).
In this way, those commanded by Eduardo Moya accumulate their third setback in the same number of presentations, to occupy the basement of section D of the competition, which is precisely what the Aztecs command (3-0).
And I say they succumbed or were unable to find the formula because, although they showed glimpses of individual quality and problem-solving capacity at times, once again they lacked that joint paste, fundamentally towards the second half of the game, where the lack of play of set, low mileage, limited team-work. To which is added the fact that our campus is going through a generational transition to some extent.
in the key of numbers
A look at the collective statistics of the game reveals that we were in the presence of a fairly even match, in which the Aztecs shot 46.9% from the field to ours 42.4; the visitors were also better in shots from two, with 54.1 versus 44.7%; while beyond the perimeter ours did a little better with 38.1 for 37 percentage points of the Mexicans, in addition to the fact that seven of their ten triples occurred in the second half of the challenge.
As well as in the free throws, where they showed a relationship of 73.7-70.6% favorable to the hosts. The balance tilted in our favor also in rebounds, thanks to a 38-32.
Now, where were the gaps in statistical matters, in the points in the paint, widely dominated 32-20 by the disciples of Omar Quintero; as well as in turnovers, backed by a flattering 12-17.
Individually and despite dividing his offense among a quintet of troops with double figures, his second baseman Orlando Méndez stood out for the winners, owner of an efficiency of +20 credits, which he justified with 19 points, three rebounds and as many assists, and four robberies. Meanwhile, for the home team, Jasiel Rivero honored his status as a man who inspired the cast, and despite not being on his best night, he compiled for +18, the product of 13 cards, nine rebounds, a trio of assists and another recovery of spherical.
The analysis
There are several issues that I would like to avoid beyond the simple look at statistics:
1- The Cuba team, although it had glimpses of being able to be at the level of its rivals, and even fight the match from coast to coast, lacked concentration and success in the key moments of each quarter. Once again the weakness in the action surfaced towards the end of the period, fundamentally in the third quarter, as a result of poor rotation of the ball, lack of offensive variants, and inability to get the ball to Jasiel and Mensiá in the paint, and that they tried attack on Daniel Amigo to get him into fouls and slow down his performance on both sides.
That from the offensive point of view, because in defense, in the first half we fell into the swamp of the pick and roll plays raised by the visitors as the main resource, with Amigo precisely almost always as the protagonist, accompanied by Stoll’s expertise, Méndez or Girón in driving and filtered passes behind the curtain.
Ours were late for the help, they were muddy in the brand changes to stop the advance of the inmates opposed to the basket, and as a consequence, they succumbed to one of the actions as basic as it is effective within the approaches of contemporary basketball.
two- In the second half, although the beginning of the game was the same, and with the Antillean players showing some physical wear and tear, Mexico’s tactical plan changed, with the perimeter players taking center stage, who almost always received the ball open behind the curtains to hit triples that seemed like daggers and opened the scoring.
3- Cuba used five organizing defenses precisely in search of keeping their legs fresh, taking advantage of the speed and explosiveness of the young players in that position, and performing a better defensive job, something they only achieved when they decided to put full-court pressure on defense towards five minutes end of the game, and caused some inaccuracies in the Aztec team. But the damage was already done.
4- There is a not insignificant element, and it is the fact that playing in front of your fans can seem like a double-edged sword, lose focus, betray your nerves and start making poor decisions. To which is added that the current members of the team need much more time to work together, diversify attack and defense variants, and achieve that empathy that only the game and the hours of union, mileage, and matches of interest give.
5- The clutch factor, from which we suffer almost entirely. And we are talking about that man with a level of self-confidence through the roof, who asks for the ball in moments of tension to the limit. That he scores and restores calm to the campus in a given situation.
This Thursday Jasiel was not chosen in all his dimension, nor was Karel Guzmán, who left the match with a muscle injury, or Mensiá, who rounds out the trident with the greatest thrust in the hosts of the Greater Antilles; and whom I would like to add on their own merit to the 18-year-old marvel Marcos Chacón, and the debutant Tito Sigfredo Casero.
6- Other elements to take into account would be the urgency of increasing in the face of Sunday’s duel with Puerto Rico, which we must defeat by more than a dozen cards to stay alive in our key, it will be to tighten defense, guard changes and take advantage of better the plays in transition to the attack.
All of this could have been carried out by Eduardo Moya’s troops, but as he well remarked: “their concentration failed them. The fans overwhelmed them, making mistakes in the approach. They played with a lot of heart, but they lacked some professionalism and brains”.
Basketball on demand, along with the dream of attending the 2023 World Cup, at least this Thursday diluted. Let’s trust if facing Sunday the ¡Cuba! Cuba! he cheers with all his might, as a sign of triumph.
