SASKATOON – Trae Bell-Haynes led the way as Canada dug deep to beat Mexico 83-73 on Sunday in the FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers.
Bell-Haynes had 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Canada (4-0). He also had a pair of steals.
Mfiondu Kabengele had a double-double for the hosts with a 15-point, 12-rebound performance. Thomas Kennedy added 17 points and five boards, while Marcus Carr dished out 10 assists.
Karim Rodriguez scored 21 points, 15 on three-pointers, to lead Mexico (2-2), which had four players in double digits.
Gael Bonilla flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Moises Andriassi added 13 points and Fabian Jaimes had 11.
The North Americans closed the game on a 13-2 run to stay unbeaten in the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers. A win by Nicaragua over the Dominican Republic later Sunday would clinch a berth for Canada at next year’s AmeriCup in Managua, Nicaragua, Aug. 23-31.
Otherwise the Canadians will get their next chance in February when Mexico hosts them and Nicaragua in the final round of group-stage games.
Bell-Haynes had his most impactful play of the game with less than 3:30 left to play and Canada leading 73-71.
Andriassi grabbed a contested offensive rebound and passed to a wide open Jorge Camacho at the top of the arc. The big man, who had already drained a triple in the fourth quarter, missed his shot and Bell-Haynes grabbed the rebound.
He sprinted the length of the court at SaskTel Centre, driving through traffic for a tough layup, turning what could’ve been a one-point deficit into a four-point lead. The five-point swing was a gut punch that Mexico was unable to recover from.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2024.
