Dominican Republic Claims Decisive Victory Over USA
The Dominican Republic men's national basketball team delivered a significant upset, defeating the United States 87-79 in the inaugural game of Window 2 of the 2027 FIBA Men's World Cup Qualifying. The contest unfolded on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California. This victory marks the Dominican Republic's fourth consecutive away win in the Americas Qualifiers, a record for the nation in this competition.
Dominican Republic's Dominant Performance
Under the guidance of coach Nestor Garcia, the Dominican squad established an early lead and maintained control for the majority of the game, at one point extending their advantage to as many as 19 points. Despite missing several key players, including Andres Feliz, Jean Montero, Chris Duarte, Lester Quinones, and NBA talents Karl-Anthony Towns and David Jones-Garcia, the team showcased a resilient performance.
Key contributors for the Dominican Republic included:
- Jassel Perez, who led the team with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds.
- Anderson Mejia, adding 14 points.
- Jhery Matos, contributing 13 points.
- Gelvis Solano, with 13 points and 8 assists.
- Veteran center Angel Delgado, who chipped in 11 points.
USA's Challenging Start and Late Rally
The USA Men's World Cup Qualifying Team, composed primarily of G-League players and ex-NBA athletes, experienced a difficult start to the game. They committed eight turnovers in the first quarter and took over three minutes to score their first basket, trailing 21-10 after the initial 10 minutes. By halftime, the U.S. was down 39-33, and the deficit grew to 69-53 by the end of the third quarter.
Despite the significant gap, the American team mounted a fourth-quarter rally, outscoring the Dominican Republic 26-17 in the final frame and narrowing the lead to as close as four points (81-77) in the game's final minute. Brandon Knight was a standout for the USA, finishing with a game-high 20 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter, including five three-pointers. Other notable performances included Dakota Mathias with 12 points and Elfrid Payton with 9 points and 6 assists. The game also marked the senior debuts for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, James Wiseman, and David Roddy with USA Basketball.
Implications for Group A Standings
This result places both the Dominican Republic and the USA, along with Mexico, in a three-way tie at the top of Group A in the Americas Qualifiers, each holding a 2-1 record and 5 points. The 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification process involves six windows over a 15-month period, with 80 national teams vying for a spot in the main tournament. Qatar automatically qualifies as the host nation. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Second Round of the Qualifiers.
Looking ahead, the Dominican Republic is scheduled to face Nicaragua, while the United States will host Mexico in their next respective games.
5 Comments
Raphael
Jassel Perez was on fire! Great to see such depth and talent from the Dominican Republic.
Donatello
Another dominant away win for the DR. So proud of this team's consistency!
Raphael
Huge upset! DR played with so much heart and skill tonight.
Donatello
While the USA's fourth-quarter rally was impressive, their slow start and early turnovers ultimately cost them the game. Credit to DR for capitalizing on those initial mistakes.
Raphael
The Dominican Republic played an excellent, disciplined game and earned that win. However, it's difficult to gauge the USA's true strength when they're not fielding their top-tier talent.