WATER POLO : Cubans Overwhelm Canadians

Amid intrigue, Cuba struck quickly and effectively Wednesday night and took a 15-6 victory over Canada in the opening round of the Alamo Cup ’93 water polo tournament at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach.

Cuba, led by three goals from Juan Carlos Hernandez, outscored Canada, 8-2, in the first half.

Ivan Perez, the Cuban player of the year, didn’t make the trip. Cuban authorities said the left-handed two-meter man was completing university work in Havana. Perez also missed last month’s world championships, and his absence Wednesday raised speculation about his whereabouts.

Cuban doctor Francisco Garcia also didn’t make the team’s flight in Miami, raising speculation that he had defected. A team spokesman said his whereabouts were unknown.

The round-robin event continues tonight with three matches. The United States plays Canada at 8:30 p.m.