Uruguay's national team defeated Panama's 84-82 in their second match of the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 qualifiers. On the final play of the game, after the visitors missed a potential game-winning shot, Martín Rojas capitalized on a great assist from Santiago Vescovi and scored the game-winning basket as the clock hit zero. Although the team led by Argentine Gonzalo García was mostly ahead on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter, that single play was enough for Gerardo Jauri's side to secure another victory, keeping their World Cup dream alive. This was the Uruguayans' second win, having defeated Panama away just 72 hours prior. Now, the team is preparing to face Argentina and Cuba in February. A player from the Uruguayan basketball team celebrates the victory over Panama in the World Cup qualifiers in Montevideo. The guard was one of the game's top scorers with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Vescovi also stood out, scoring few points in the first three quarters but closing the game strong with scoring and playmaking. On the other side, Panama (19+22+23+18) was led by San Pablo Burgos guard Jhivvan Jackson, who scored 29 points to go with 3 rebounds and 6 assists. While the visitors had a better field-goal percentage (48.3% to 39.7%) and three-point percentage (39.1% to 34.3%), the 'Celeste' spread the scoring and hit crucial shots when it mattered. To Rodríguez's five three-pointers were added three from Vescovi, two from Gonzalo Iglesias, and two from Luciano Parodi, who hit a very important one when time was running out and the game could have slipped away from Uruguay. In the 92-60 victory for Uruguay in the game played this Thursday in Panama, Nacional's guard hit a long three-pointer to tie a game that the visitors were leading 80-77. After that play, Jauri's team took the lead and ended up winning a game that was decided on the final play, which ended perfectly for the home players and for the thousands of fans who supported the 'Celeste' at the Antel Arena in Montevideo. Uruguay won and leads Group D, where tomorrow's Argentina vs. Cuba match will be played in Buenos Aires.
