Bahamas vs Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico seized control from the opening quarter, shooting their way to a 34-23 lead behind De Jesus's early three-point barrage. The veteran guard scored 15 first-half points as the visitors built a double-digit lead they never relinquished.

With 3:01 remaining in the first quarter, Bahamas star Buddy Hield — the NBA veteran and the team's emotional leader — exited the game with an injury and did not return. Despite that setback, the Bahamas showed fight in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 47-45 with 1:39 remaining in the half. But Puerto Rico closed the period with a 10-2 run, including a Thompson three-pointer, to lead 57-47 at the break.

The third quarter proved decisive. After VJ Edgecombe Jr. — who had 19 points — picked up his fifth foul on a technical and was disqualified, the Bahamas were left without both of their NBA talents on the floor. Puerto Rico stretched the lead to 85-67 behind Alfonso Plummer, who caught fire in the second half, knocking down 5-of-6 three-pointers and scoring 16 points after the interval.

Puerto Rico led by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter. The Bahamas did claw back to 99-86, but a De Jesus three-pointer extinguished any comeback hopes. Puerto Rico closed out the 115-92 victory in commanding fashion.

Edgecombe Jr.'s disqualification with his fifth foul (a technical) midway through the third quarter removed the Bahamas' most dynamic scorer — he had 16 points by halftime. Combined with Hield's earlier first-quarter injury exit, the hosts were without both of their NBA players. Puerto Rico outscored the Bahamas 28-20 in the third period and never looked back.

• Jezreel De Jesus (PUR): 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists on 7-of-11 shooting. The veteran set the tone with 15 first-half points and delivered the dagger three in the fourth quarter.
• Ismael Romero (PUR): 21 points, 4 rebounds. Dominated the paint and kept Puerto Rico's offence flowing.
• Alfonso Plummer (PUR): 16 points, 5-of-6 from three-point range (83 percent). His second-half shooting clinic broke the game open.
• Ethan Thompson (PUR): 17 points, 4 assists. Provided steady scoring from the perimeter.
• Franco Miller (BAH): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists. A near triple-double in a losing cause for the Bahamas.
• VJ Edgecombe Jr. (BAH): 19 points before fouling out in the third quarter. His absence was keenly felt.

Player of the Match: Jezreel De Jesus (Puerto Rico)

Puerto Rico's 62.5 percent three-point shooting (compared to the Bahamas' 35.9 percent) tells the story of the game. The visitors made 15 three-pointers at a rate that would be elite in any context, and their 58 percent overall field-goal percentage reflected sustained offensive efficiency across all four quarters. The Bahamas shot a respectable 45 percent from the floor but were outscored by 23 points — a margin that tracks directly with the three-point disparity.

Puerto Rico led for 36 minutes and 28 seconds of game time, the Bahamas for just 2:19. The largest lead for Puerto Rico was 23 points; the Bahamas' biggest lead was 5. Six Puerto Rican players reached double figures against just three for the hosts, illustrating the visitors' superior depth.

The result confirmed the final Group B standings: Canada (5-0) advanced as group winners, with the Bahamas (2-4) finishing second and Puerto Rico (2-4) third on tiebreakers. Jamaica (2-4) were eliminated on head-to-head differential despite also having two wins. Both the Bahamas and Puerto Rico progress to the Second Round.

Puerto Rico enter Group F alongside Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Panama and the Bahamas. The Second Round will be played across three windows: 26–31 August 2026, November 2026, and February/March 2027. The top three teams from each Second Round group qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 in Qatar.

Puerto Rico's Second Round schedule: 27 August vs Argentina, 31 August vs Uruguay, 26 November vs Panama, 29 November vs Uruguay, 26 February 2027 vs Argentina, 1 March 2027 vs Panama.

Bahamas head coach Mikhail McLean said after the game: "Proud of our guys fighting til the end. We had a couple injuries but no excuses; we've got a lot of film to watch to get better."

Franco Miller added: "We're a full team of fighters. We're dogs, we want to come out and try to compete and win and play against the best people in the world."

Puerto Rico's shooting display was the difference — one of the best three-point performances in the qualifying window to date. The Bahamas will rue the injuries to Hield and Edgecombe's early exit, but both teams achieved their primary objective of advancing. The Second Round rematch in August carries added weight.