Leandro Garcia scored 19 points as Uruguay beat Paraguay 79-66 on Saturday, confirming a place in the second round of the Olympic basketball qualifying tournament for the Americas.
Paraguay joined Cuba as the first two teams to be eliminated from the competition.
The eight remaining teams, which advance to another stage of round-robin games starting today, are: Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Canada, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Panama.
In other games on Saturday, Brazil beat Cuba 93-83, Venezuela had a 103-98 overtime win against Canada and Argentina downed Panama 90-71.
The two finalists earn places in next year’s Olympics in London. The US are not competing because they qualified automatically for London by virtue of winning last year’s world championship.
Uruguay did most of their damage from three-point distance, making 11 of 19 attempts from long range, including five from nine by Garcia.
“It was a very dangerous game,” Garcia said. “We started a bit ordinary, but after the second period we improved and were able to finish off the game.”
Uruguay led 41-38 at halftime, but a typically accurate three-pointer from Martin Osimani extended the lead just after the break and the six-point gap grew ever wider from then on.
Enrique Martinez was Paraguay’s top scorer with 18, one ahead of teammate Bruno Zanotti.
Uruguay’s win meant the other teams were sure to progress, but each side’s record carries over into the next round, so positive results were still important.
Venezuela needed overtime to beat Canada after the teams were locked at 84-84 after regulation.
Greivis Vasquez did the damage for Venezuela with 29 points, including three triples from five attempts, two rebounds and four assists.
Meanwhile, Vitor Benite scored 19 points as Brazil inflicted a fourth straight loss on Cuba, who had already been eliminated before the match began.
Cuba’s Yoan Luis Haiti hit 27 points, while Yudniel Arango notched 26 to make the score closer than expected.
Argentina finished the first round as the only team to win all their four games after beating Panama.
Houston Rockets player Luis Scola was the standout for the host nation with 19 points, plus five three-pointers from six attempts and 14 rebounds.
Fellow NBA player Andres Nocioni, of the Philadelphia 76ers, contributed 18 points.
Panama had threatened an upset at one stage, leading 39-38 at the break. Argentina reacted strongly with a 26-12 third-quarter win, before taking the final period 26-20.
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