Kazan.- THE SELECTION The Cuban phygital basketball player played a memorable game today at the I Future Games in this Russian city, but it did not result in victory.
On Sunday he played his semi-final match against a Vietnamese team capable of defeating the Russian team in the event's so-called B League, which undoubtedly earned him a remarkable endorsement.
Despite the preparation carried out and last-minute tactical adjustments, Andy Castellanos and Arle Dayán Zaporta were unable to keep up with the commands of the Vietnamese players, who were very effective in long shots and quick transitions with the ball.
The result was overwhelming, no less than 7-20, given the seven minutes of physical play on the court in one of the modern halls of the Kazan Expo.
Professor Julio Altunaga shared the strategy with his students, with a clear advantage due to their height, but with a notable difference in scores for the 2×2 modality, where the baskets in the bottle are worth one point and two from outside the perimeter.
Although in the early stages they tried to play point by point and defend vigorously, they soon realized that they had to compensate for the disadvantage, which at times even increased, by sneaking up from long distances, dominating the rebounds and the offensive of the had to stop the opponent.
With a lot of effort and effort, the equalizer was achieved, with the score at 26-26 seconds before the end.
Then it went on to the previously “unknown”, a kind of penalty shootout, but in this case free kicks. Three obligatory rounds for each side, alternating and then as many rounds as necessary…
Ibrain Torres and Andy scored their baskets while the Vietnamese failed once and were left to the fate of the burly Zaporta. He took the shooting line with confidence and skill, but his ball hit the rim in front of him and the “sudden death” began before hundreds of spectators expected it.
A total of seven rounds passed until Ibrain, who had already been successful on several occasions, failed and ended the match and the dream of reaching the final of a new, unprecedented and very demanding event for the Cubans.
While the Vietnamese celebrated in style like the “giant assassins” of the fair, the Cuban side consoled itself with the effort and learning essential now to triumph in the future.
A while later, the Libertadores team from Venezuela conquered the Kazan Expo with a victory very similar to that of the Vietnamese, but against the Russian hosts.
The final between the Vietnamese and the Venezuelans delighted the former, who were ahead on the computers, then withstood the onslaught on the field and even scored from distance in crucial moments.
So ended the experience for the six performers in this second stage, which included three Latin Americans from Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia.