Uruguay kicked off the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship win a pasting over an overwhelmed US Virgin Islands team, 88-62. Uruguay will rest today, its next game will be Friday against Puerto Rico. The Boricuas are the same rival the 0-1 USVI will face tonight. Both games start at 9:00pm.
Uruguay's Leandro Garcia took over the game early with his deadly outside shooting. The 6'1” guard connected 46% from beyond the arc, in route to a 28 point night. Esteban Batista added 23 and 13 boards in the 26 point rout.
The Uruguayans began the game with a 7-0 rally spearheaded by and . As the first half progressed, Uruguay's insensitive took over opening a 16-point, 35-19, lead with 4:12 in the clock. The USVI mounted small comeback, scoring 5 points in a row to close the gap to 11, but Garcia shutdown the Virgin Islanders' rally with a yet another three pointer, his fourth of the half, at the 1:59 mark.
Garcia and company then took off on an impressive 14-3 advance to end the first stanza comfortably ahead 49-29. Uruguay shoot 50% from the field. The USVI shoot a pedestrian 17%.
The Virgin Island came out of the locker room on fire. Lead by a puertorrican, Walter Hodge, the Islanders scored the first 9 points of the second half to close within 11, 41-52, at the 5:20 mark. Both teams exchanged baskets the rest of the 3rd quarter which ended 66-49 in favor of Uruguay.
The final period belonged to the Uruguayans. Garcia, Batista and company clamped down on a visible tired Virgin Island squad to push the lead back above 20. The trio accounted for 13 of the Uruguayans' 22 four quarter points.
Kevin Sheppard led the Islanders with 17 points. Puertorrican Walter Hodge finished with 12 in a losing effort.
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