Puerto Rico's national basketball team narrowly avoided elimination from FIBA World Cup qualifying, which would have ended a 44-year, 10-tournament consecutive streak dating to 1982. On Sunday, the team defeated the Bahamas 115-92, with six Puerto Rican players scoring in double figures: Jezreel "Macho" De Jesús (22 points), Ysmael Romero (21), Alfonso Plummer (19), Ethan Thompson (17), and Isaiah Piñeiro (11). The roster had faced criticism for lacking several star players unavailable for this third qualifying window.
Yum Ramos, president of the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation, praised the team's unity and resilience, noting the collective effort produced six double-digit scorers. With the win, Puerto Rico finished third in Group B with a 2-4 record, advancing to the next round alongside the Bahamas and undefeated Canada (6-0); Jamaica, despite matching Puerto Rico's record, was eliminated on point differential. The second qualifying round begins August 27, when Puerto Rico plays as visitor against Argentina, followed by a home game against Uruguay on August 31.
Ramos said the strong performance of players like De Jesús, uncalled since 2023 and who carried the offense in Alvarado's absence, will be considered for future call-ups.