Uruguay beat the United States in the first big surprise of the Americanup

The Uruguayan basketball team beat the United States 86-85 and caused the first great surprise of the Americanup 2025 that is played in Managua, Nicaragua. It was just the second triumph of the Uruguayans over the Americans in the history between them in the highest tournament in the continent. The first occasion was in 2001, in Neuquén, Argentina.

This conquest, in addition, allowed those led by Gerardo Jauri to place themselves in the second place of group A and be able to control their destination with a view to the classification to the quarterfinals, when only one day remains for the closure of the initial phase of the tournament.

The most prominent of the Uruguayan triumph were Santiago Vescovi -author of the decisive basket -, with 24 points (4 triples) and 5 assistsand Joaquín Rodríguez, with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 2 robberies. The top scorer was Langston Galloway, with 25 points.

The game was with constant alternation on the score from beginning to end. Already in the last quarter, Uruguay took advantage of eight (78-70) with a triple by Vescovi, when they subtracted 4:21 minutes, but the United States recovered with three triples, one from Galloway and two from Jahmius Ramsey, to get up 83-82 with only 1:18 in the chronometer. Mateo Bianchi scored under the basket when the possession clock almost expired to put the Uruguayan 84-83 in front of Uruguayans with only 51 seconds on the clock. Galloway failed an open triple and while the United States players were debated between giving the fault or not to stop the clock, Vescovi took advantage of the doubts and reached the ring with a tray to put the 86-83 in favor Uruguay, with 23 seconds for the end. Ramsey had the long distance shot to tie, but he failed and although Tyler Cavanaugh scored after an offensive rebound, only 5 seconds were left and the United States already had no more dead times, so the Uruguayans retained the advantage.

The key to Uruguay was in the internal game, despite the fact that one of the doubts of his squad for this competition was scarce. He took 45 rebounds (18 offensives), against 33 of his rival. These rebounds in attack capitalized them with 20 points in second chances against only 7 from the United States. The celestial also controlled the points in the 46-32 painting.

24 years passed for a new triumph of Uruguay against the United States. Now the Americans lead 5-2 clashes in the highest continental tournament. Both teams will play on Tuesday 26 to end the group stage: Uruguay vs. Bahamas and United States vs. Brazil.