PUERTO RICO couldn’t even begin qualifying for this World Cup at home two years ago, forced to move its opening game to Florida because of the damage that Hurricane Maria inflicted on the island.

They were undeterred then.

They’re in the World Cup’s second round now.

Gary Browne’s 3-pointer with 5.1 seconds left capped a 15-4 run to end the game, and Puerto Rico beat Tunisia 67-64 in a contest that decided the second spot in the second round out of Group C in Guangzhou. The win ensures that Puerto Rico (2-1) will have its best World Cup finish since at least 2002, and earned the team a second-round opener in Wuhan, tomorrow.

“Thank God we came up with the win,” Browne said. “We’ve been working very hard for what we have right now.”  (SD-Agencies)