SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, CMC – Jamaica lost excitingly in the second round of the FIBA America’s 2023 World Cup Pre-Qualifications when they went down 68-66 to El Salvador in their final match of the competition here on Monday.
In the decisive match at Adolfo Pineda Gym, the Caribbean side closed within one point at 66-67, courtesy of Joel Bailey’s set-up with three seconds left on the clock but ran out of time to make any further action.
They finished fourth in the five-team group with two wins from their four outings, just above their unbeaten Caribbean counterpart Guyana.
Costa Rica topped the group with Nicaragua second and El Salvador, third, to advance to the next round of the qualifying matches.
Jamaica was powered by Omari Johnson who scored 18 points and pulled eight rebounds while Marcel Robinson broke in with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Bailey, meanwhile, scored 10 points while Warren Williams beat nine points and pulled in 10 rebounds.
For the hosts, Roberto Martinez led with 19 points while Jose Araujo and Ronnie Aguilar both scored 11. Carlos Arias weighed in with nine points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Jamaica held on to three narrow points, 18-15 at the end of the first quarter but El Salvador hit back to tie the game at 20 early in the second quarter.
In an athletic match, Jamaica again took the lead again 31-27 with five minutes on the clock and led until the final minute when the hosts contested to a level at 36 – a closing action that stayed at half time.
Mauricio Lahud’s jumper gave El Salvador the lead early in the third quarter but Adrian Mike responded from behind the arc to send Jamaica a 39-38 lead.
Aguilar put El Salvador ahead for good in the quarter with a hook shot with 3:51 remaining, and they held off Jamaica to take the lead 52-49 at the break.
In an exciting quarterfinal, Jamaica closed to within one at 51-52 with 8:49 remaining but then saw El Salvador extend their lead to 60-52 eight at 5:38 left.
A great 14-8 lead by the Jamaicans then set up a thrilling finish but El Salvador held on.