Mexico beat Brazil, 79-74, in Round 2 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 second round. Played at Gimnasio Marcelino Gonzalez with tip-off scheduled for , the home win strengthened Mexico's hold on fourth place in Americas Group E.
The game tilted in the first twenty minutes. Mexico edged a tight opening quarter, 24-23, then found its best rhythm in the second, 30-21, reaching halftime with a ten-point lead, 54-44. Brazil needed a response and pushed for one after the break.
The visitors won the third quarter, 14-13, and again in the fourth, 16-12, trimming the margin to 67-58 through three periods. Brazil kept pressing late, but could not complete the comeback.
P. Saldivar was Mexico's offensive anchor with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Joseph Avila posted a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double that stabilised the paint, while J. Israel-Gutierrez added 14. P. Stoll chipped in seven points with five assists to keep the offence organised.
For Brazil, Leo Meindl led the way with 21 points, but his side could not find enough efficiency: Brazil finished at 34.3% from the field to Mexico's 45.8%. Didi Louzada scored 14 off the bench with four three-pointers, and Raul Neto directed the game with 11 points and seven assists.
Efficiency and ball security shaped the outcome. Mexico committed 10 turnovers to Brazil's 13 and hit 10 three-pointers in 29 attempts. Brazil controlled the glass, 39-29, yet could not convert those second chances consistently enough to overturn a game that had already slipped away in the first half.
The result moves Mexico to 5-3 and keeps them fourth in Americas Group E. Brazil drop to 6-2 after a second defeat in the phase, following their earlier slip against the Dominican Republic.