Monday, November 20th, 2023.- Colombia achieved their second consecutive victory in the male's Wheelchair Basketball tournament at Santiago 2023 by defeating Brazil 66-56 in a match belonging to Group B, which so far has been the closest in the tournament.

The Colombians had previously defeated Puerto Rico in their first appearance, while the Brazilians came from a loss in their debut against the United States, marking their second consecutive defeat.

Monday's match at the Polideportivo 1 at the Estadio Nacional started with Colombia in control, winning the first quarter 22-17 and the second 14-8. However, Brazil made a comeback in the third quarter, outscoring 19-12, narrowing the gap to 48-44 in favor of Colombia going into the final period. Yet, the Colombians remained composed, regained control, and extended their lead to a final score of 66-56.

The top scorer of the match was Brazilian Cristiano Clemente with 20 points, while Colombian Jhon Hernández stood out with 18 points.

"With Brazil, it's always very tough games; they are a very strong team, and they showed it. But we have been working well to reach the Paralympic Games, and although the match got complicated in the third quarter, we managed to unlock it. Our goal is to reach the final, but we know it will be tough because there are two powerhouses like the United States and Canada," stated Colombian Johan Vargas.

In the last session of Group B, Brazil will face Puerto Rico on Tuesday, and Colombia will take on the strong favorite: the United States.

Written by Patricio Hernández; translated by Vicente Valdivia / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Karin Pozo / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport