Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
THE JAMAICA men's team got its 2006 Centrobasket tournament campaign off to a rocky start when it fell 85-69 to Mexico in the event's opening day in Panama City yesterday.
Marland Dumont and Andre Smith's 18 points apiece were not enough for the Jamaicans as they came up second best to the Mexicans who were led by Oscar Castellanos with 20 points.
The loss now puts Jamaica in a tough spot as the team still faces four-time champions Cuba, who will be looking for revenge - having been bested by the Jamaicans for the first time in history at the recent Caribbean Championships, and six-time winners and favourites Puerto Rico in group play.
The Jamaicans, who rely heavily on their outside shooting, seemed unable to find their stroke in Panama as they went 4-22 from behind the three-point line for a paltry 18 per cent.
MAIN CULPRITS
Top triggermen Chazz Carr and Mugabe Thomas were the main culprits, going 2-8 and 1-5 from behind the line respectively, as they finished the encounter with 10 points each.
In the day's earlier game in Group A, the US Virgin Islands, the only team to get the better of the Jamaicans at the Caribbean Championships, blasted their way past defending champions the Dominican Republic, 91-60.
Jamaica now have one point and are tied at the bottom of Group B. The team will take on 2004 runners-up Puerto Rico in a 7:00 p.m. encounter tonight.
This tournament provides four places for the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship (Olympic qualifier), three for the 2007 Pan-American Games in Brazil and seven for the 2006 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia.
