SOUTH BRONX, NY — My wife Blanca and I were in a local restaurant yesterday that had several televisions, but all were showing the Soccer Copa America games. They were exciting and each had their viewers glued to the screens watching several Latin American countries play. However, Blanca and I were more interested in another world cup being played around the world, the FIBA World Cup which for some reason was not getting that much coverage. We both had been following the games through our Puerto Rican news outlets and friends on the island that had been sending us clips of the games.
When Puerto Rico defeated Italy to make it to the finals, we decided we had to see yesterdays game Vs. Mexico. Unfortunately, our favorite restaurant with TV screens that normally have sports did not have the Puerto Rico game. So, we did the next best thing, we searched and found an app that had the game on the internet. Problem solved, I had my ear pods, I gave Blanca one and I the other. We changed tables so that we could rest my phone near the wall, and we were able to eat our dinner while watching an exciting game that Puerto Rico had to win to make it to tonight’s finals.
Lithuania 🇱🇹 and Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 to battle for #Paris2024 dream 💭#FIBAOQT
— FIBA (@FIBA) July 7, 2024
However, eating a dinner in a restaurant having two loud and proud Puerto Ricans watching a must win international basketball game was not easy. Many times, Blanca and I would yell, slap each other high five when Puerto Rico scored a tree pointer, or caught a rebound. We obviously were creating attention that others in the restaurant could not see. One of the waiters came by and I explained what we were watching. She smiled and was happy to hear that Puerto Rico was winning.
I share this to help others understand the importance of international sporting events effect on helping an island to temporarily forget the problems of an approaching hurricane, or any of the other problems affecting a colony. When our countries play and win in international sports is like if we all win. This was clearly seen in 2017 when category five hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. The island was in shambles, over three thousand people died, and the entire island was without electricity and water it was all doom and gloom. However, the Puerto Rico national baseball team playing in the World Baseball Classic was on an undefeated run and that became the rallying call for all Puerto Ricans.
Image Credit: World Baseball Classic/Puerto Rico National Team
Makeshift giant screens were set up in many town plazas using generators and special signals to transmit the game to hundreds of thousands and many home bound residents were able to hear the game on special radio bands.
Those games in 2017 helped the island in ways that many today would never understand. Sports works wonders especially for the many who are displaced from their homeland.
Tremont Waters went off for 15 points in the third quarter in Puerto Rico’s win – Image Credit: FIBA
So, yesterday’s game at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum AKA, the “Choliseo” in San Juan was a must watch. Puerto Rico is known for baseball, but a well-kept secret is that Puerto Rico probably has as many basketball fans. Who can forget one of the biggest upsets in Olympic basketball history when little Puerto Rico handed the powerful USA Dream Team their first loss in Olympic history by a score of 92-73. A USA team that had the best of the best USA players like, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin and David Robinson.
The fact that the small island of 3.5 million is ranked among the top 20 countries on the planet says a lot about the intensity of basketball on the island.
The Puerto Rican squad will face Lithuania tonight ranked number 10 in the FIBA World Rankings after defeating Mexico yesterday, 98-78, in the semifinals of the Olympic qualifiers before 12,730 fans at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. Against Mexico, Jordan Howard shined with 20 points. José Alvarado had 12, Chris Ortiz 11 and Ysmael Romero 10. The Puerto Rican bench had 42 points against 16 for the rivals.
🇵🇷 Alvarado working his magic! #FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/DzoYmgIpRM
— FIBA (@FIBA) July 6, 2024
The match for the coveted Olympic ticket will begin at 6:00 p.m.
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Michelle Davila
July 7, 2024 at 7:52 pm
Excellent overview of PR and basketball. Let’s not forget that PR basketball legend Raymond Dalmau was actually born in NYC! Thanks Latino Sports for reminding me that PR is on the map for more than baseball and boxing 🇵🇷🇵🇷