With his team on the brink of elimination, Lakers point guard Marcelo Huertas turned in his best performance yet at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Huertas racked up 12 points, six rebounds and 11 assists, directing the high-flying Brazilians to an 86-69 victory over Nigeria.
The captain of Brazil (2-3), Huertas stepped up when the Nigerians came within in striking distance of an upset. The Rio hosts led by six midway through the fourth quarter when Huertas took the game into his own hands.
Via a series of layups and free throws, the Sao Paulo native scored 10 points in the final six minutes at Carioca Arena to prevent his team from behind knocked out of the tournament.