Sunday, November 19th, 2023.- Colombia made a strong debut with a victory over Puerto Rico in the opening match of the male's wheelchair basketball Group B at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, held at Polideportivo 1 of the Estadio Nacional.

The South Americans secured a 69-53 win, and despite the 16-point difference, it was the closest margin seen in the ongoing tournament. In Group A on Saturday, Argentina defeated Venezuela 72-44, and Canada beat Chile 80-17.

The game today was particularly close in the first half, with Colombia leading 29-24 at the end of the second quarter. However, they dominated the third quarter 18-10, establishing a lead that would prove decisive.

The top scorer of the game was Colombian Juan Escobar, with 14 points. "Very happy because we worked very well. I play in France with five more teammates, and we are fighting to win a medal, hopefully gold," said the standout player of the match.

On the other hand, Puerto Rican Carlos Martínez mentioned, "At times we were close, but in the end, they were better. Fortunately, it's only the first game, and we have time to recover.

Written by Herman Chanampa; translated by Paulette Bertín / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Felipe Poga / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport