With the help of Ayón, Cruz and Méndez, the 12 warriors took the undefeated United States.

Mexico City –

With a single scream, he managed to shake the last chair of the stands. Gustavo Ayón returned to the Mexican basketball team after almost three years of absence and ordered the historic victory of 78-70 to leave United States without a perfect record in the Americas FIBA ​​Premundial to China 2019.

But the direction of the Nayarit would not have been sufficient without the support of Paco Cruz and Orlando Méndez . With 24 and 20 points respectively, they became the best henchmen of the exNBA to form a trident capable of reversing American perfection and placing the Tri with a 3-2 record in Group C of those qualifiers.

More than 3,000 400 participants have not stopped booing and waving their flags, because hostility is often the best ally in a total war.

seconds elapsed since the referee threw the ball in the air for the start of the match, when Méndez took advantage of an American forgetfulness to steal the ball and drop it in the basket at the other end of the field and give him his first points of the match

A foul and an account for Paco Cruz with seven minutes to go in the first quarter increased the roar in Juan's booths From La Barrera which was a boiling cauldron filled with prayers. Mexico gained momentum and saw its first peak in the game thanks to a treble from Méndez, which forced the neighbors to ask for time.

It was up to 4:07 to play in the first period as the first basket arrived from the team consistent in its majority by the basketball players of the G-League (NBA Development League) , courtesy of Rashawn Thomas in a free shot and with 18 points against. The first quarter ended with a voluminous 31-10 for the Mexicans .

The United States gave signs of life and the 21 points of advantage were diluted in a few seconds. He had to go to the Titan Real Madrid to take this direction which led him to be the voice of the command in the selection, with a claim from the bench, which justified a technical foul, but which meant a repulsion for the Aztec quintet

The 12 Warriors rested 45-28 largely thanks to the contribution of the elusive Mendez and Cruz, with 13 points each up to that moment. As well as the direction of the Titan.

The buzzer sounded and the start of the third set immediately caused a foul and counted for Marcus Thompton. The night came on the Mexicans, who saw the bloom of abundance that gave them so many points in the first two quarters.

Thornton took over and was tasked to wake a giant who had only slept a little over 20 minutes. United States he cut distances and left the plateau 51-55, only four points and with the spirit for the heavens.

The tricolor coach Iván Deniz raised his arms after a washing of the Fuenlabrada player. he urged the defeated fanatic, who responded with an eloquent roar to restore his morale and seal a long-suffering triumph against the region's giant.

Mexico was able to celebrate its first triumph over the United States. Seven years later, at home, after the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, on October 29, 2011, he won 71-55 in the semi-final of this event.

Ayón finished with 8 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, but his contribution went beyond the numbers, because mathematics is not used to measure the contribution of the great leaders.