'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Puerto Rican basketball player Jose Barea (L) tries to score a basket against Dominican James Feldeine (R) during their FIBA Championship game
Mexico will face Puerto Rico in the final of the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship held at Caracas, Venezuela. The two teams will fight for continental honours after they dispatched Argentina and Dominican Republic respectively in the semi-finals of the championship.
In the first semi-final, Gustavo Ayon netted 24 points, had 12 rebounds and made 3 assists to help Mexico beat Argentina 76 -70 to enter the final. Mexico took the first quarter 20-14 while Argentina took the second quarter 23-13. After the break, Argentina took the third quarter 21-20 but Mexico outplayed Argentina 23-12 in the last quarter to win the match. Luis Scola was the top scorer for Argentina with 18 points. He also collected 8 rebounds and made 5 assists.
In the other semi-final, Puerto Rico defeated Dominican Republic 79-67 to enter the final. Puerto Rico took the first quarter 21-15, while the second quarter was a tie with both teams scoring 17 points each. Puerto Rico took the third quarter 25-17 to take a big lead. Dominican Republic took the last quarter 18 -16 but it was not enough to stop Puerto Rico from entering the final.
Argentina will now face Dominican Republic in the bronze medal match while Puerto Rico and Mexico will play for the gold medal and continental supremacy.
10 teams affiliated to the FIBA Americas sub-zone battled for the continental honours at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship. Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Argentina, the four semi-finalists of the championship, have booked their tickets to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.
The final of the championship will be played on September 11, 2013.
