The Dominican Republic put Chile to the sword with a final score of 101-66 in their World Cup match on the first of September. It was a one-sided affair from the opening tip-off, and by then it was clear this would not be a contest. The hosts ran out comfortable winners, leaving their visitors with little to show for their efforts.
And here's the thing about this result - the statistics tell a story of complete domination. The Dominican Republic hit 12 three-pointers from 36 attempts, while Chile managed just 8 from 30. The hosts recorded 24 assists against 10 turnovers, whereas the visitors fumbled the ball 21 times and found only 17 assists to show for it.
What struck me watching was the rebounding battle, or rather the lack of one for Chile. The home side grabbed 41 rebounds - 17 of them on the offensive glass - compared to just 33 for the visitors, with only six coming from their side. That offensive presence was the difference, really. They kept getting second chances and ran with them.
Chile come into this having lost four of their last five matches, including a heavy 89-71 defeat to the United States on their most recent outing. The Dominican Republic, meanwhile, have been competitive - losing narrowly to Brazil 94-90 in their last meeting, though they also dropped an 89-88 thriller to Mexico in December. To be fair, this performance was a step above what they showed against Brazil.
The goal difference of 35 points will not sit comfortably with the Chilean camp, but there is not much else to analyse here. This was a match where one team had it all figured out and the other simply could not respond. The hosts have nothing to lose now, and that confidence might carry them further than anyone expected.
