Final Results - Central American - Caribbean Championships
Created on Sunday, 21 October 2012 02:04 | 
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RESULTS OF the final AT THE CENTRAL AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
El Salvador played Nicaragua for Bronze today and host Puerto Rico played Mexico for Gold in the Central American and Caribbean Wheelchair Basketball Finals
Bronze Medal Game
In the Bronze medal game both El Salvador and Nicaragua had a lot to prove and they both game out strong. El Salvador got 8 first quarter points from Rafeal Melgar to go up 16 - 11. Nicaragua came back in the second period on a 7 point run from Manuel Ulloa to bring the half time score to a 28 - 28 tie.
In the third period Nicaragua outscored El Salvador 13 - 10 but El Salvador owned the fourth period with Melgar scoring 14 points to give El Salvador the win and the bronze medal 62 - 48.
Top scorers for El Salvador Rafael Melgar 32, Raul Alvarenga 14 and Jose Escalante 12. Leading Nicaragua were Manuel Ulloa 18 and Carlos Algerias 15.
Gold Medal Game
In the Gold medal game the crowd were great supporters of the home team and Puerto Rico responded keeping the game close and the crowd in it.
End of the first Quarter had Puerto Rico 17 Mexico 15. The second quarter and Mexico outscored Puerto Rico 20 - 15.
The score was 35 Mexico 32 Puerto Rico starting the second half but Mexico had increased their lead to 6 (42-36) by the 5 minute mark of the third quarter on the strength of some shooting by carlos Diaz. Puerto Rico kept it close scoring 2 at 4:49 to bring it to with in 4. A miss by Mexico and Carlos Ocasio scored to bring it to 2. With 3:14 to go in the period Puerto Rico forced a turn-over and Mexico took a time out to talk things over.
Saul Garcia dropped one to give Mexico a 4 point lead with just over one minute to go.The teams traded tries and finally with 5 seconds to go Mexico turned it over and Puerto Rico scored at the buzzer to bring it to within one basket. Mexico 44 - Puerto Rico 42 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter started with Puerto Rico Hector Perez scoring to tie it up but Mexico came right back to score the next three baskets to take a six point lead at the 8 minute mark
The teams traded baskets for the next 2 minutes until Mexico finally scored on the shot clock buzzer to go up 8.A foul shot cut it to 7 and 2 baskets by Manuel Pena brought it down to 3.
Edgar Perdomo went the lenght of the court to score for Mexico and quiet the crowd.Another basket by Mexico and it was 58 - 51 with just under 2 minutes to go. Puereto Rico scored to make it 58 - 53 only to have Mexico come right back down and score. With one minute and 2 seconds Mexico scores and goes up 7.
Puerto Rico scoreed a big three point basket and get back into with 37 seconds left. Mexico gets one at the foul line to make it 61 - 56.
Puerto Rico came right back only to have the ball ring the hoop and fall out into the hands of Mexico. With 5 seconds to go Puerto Rico is fouled and goes to the line for two but it is not enough and Mexico wins Gold 61 - 56.
Top scorer for Mexico Saul Garcia with 22, Manuel Ortega with 15 and Carlos Diaz with 14.For Puerto Rico Carlos Ocasio with 21 and Jose Calderon with 16.
All four teams will advance to the Americas Cup in 2013 where they will try for one of the four spots the Americas has for the 2014 World Championships in Korea.
