The FIBA Window that stopped basketball at the club level – except the NBA – left a historic result. The United States, the always unbeatable team and leader of the world ranking, was defeated. Logically, they don’t have anything like their best players on the court, but a defeat is always a big deal. More when it happens against Cuba! (81-67). It has not happened for 53 years in a sport that the great world power dominates at will.
The history between Cuba and the United States is full of problems. From the interest of the country of the stars and stripes in ‘buying’ the island, to the tension between both countries after the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. The breakdown of their relations in December 1960, initiating an economic, commercial and financial blockade. Or the 1961 attacks that failed in the face of Fidel Castro’s socialist revolution. In recent times, the Biden administration laid the foundations for having a more relaxed relationship with Havana, freeing itself from the suffocating measures proposed by the predecessor in the Oval Office, Donald Trump.
In sports there is a ‘battle’ in sports such as athletics or baseball, but in basketball it seemed almost impossible. But Cuba did it and emphatically in the Havana Coliseum. His third quarter broke the weak American team and between the 11 points and 9 rebounds of Jasiel Rivero, a Maccabi center with a past in Valencia, and the 11, also, of Chacón, he knocked down ‘Team USA’. Names like Elfrid Payton, Jordan Bell or Stanley Johnson, stars of that ‘roster’ and with a past in the NBA. They failed and Cuba regained a victory 53 years later. Since August 1, 1971, on the occasion of the Pan American Games in Cali, this has not happened.
The Surprise Window
Cuba’s victory is not the only surprise of the FIBA Window. Changing, since it was played in the middle of the course and with the possibility of being able to play in the Euroleague. But rhythm is vital and there were big surprises. In America, Chile beat Argentina (79-77)… in a match in which a dog sneaked onto the field. Colombia did the same (67-64) with Venezuela.
And in Europe, more of the same. Belgium beat Spain (58-53) in Charleloi, Bulgaria, with Miller-McIntyre, Baskonia’s game director, against world champion Germany (67-62) and Portugal, another unusual one, against Ukraine (77-79) . Cuba was not the only one, although it was the most prominent. Because more than half a century they once again defeated one of their great enemies, the United States.
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