( CNN ) -- Despite most of the team being of short stature and playing barefoot , the Triqui Indian boys from Mexico won the championship -- and the hearts of many -- at the International Festival of Mini-Basketball held in Argentina . Their coach , Sergio Zuniga explains that playing barefoot is a reflection of the poverty in their community in the state of Oaxaca . `` The boys train barefoot , they always walk barefoot . There are no resources to buy shoes , '' Zuniga commented in an interview with the Basketball Federation of the Province of Cordoba , where the tournament was held . The seven games against six local teams ended with incredible scores : 86-3 over Celestes ; 22-6 against Cordoba University ; 72-16 against Central ; 82-18 over Hindu ; 44-12 against Monteeis and 40-16 over Regatas de Mendoza . The National Sports and Physical Culture Commission of Mexico named the team as the `` Barefoot Giants of the Mountains . '' Blog : New era for women 's basketball in the U.S. ? 54 teams from various Argentine provinces and countries such as Mexico , Bolivia , Brazil , Chile , Ecuador , Uruguay and Venezuela , participated in the tournament . A total of 8,000 kids were part of the championship held from October 11th to 14th . Last year , the youth championship ( which started in 2010 in Ecuador ) was held in La Vega , Dominican Republic . About 400 kids participated in the event . Mexico , Guatemala , Ecuador and delegations from 20 Dominican provinces were part of the championship . Education first . The Triqui children-training program began its operations in 2009 with 500 kids . Nowadays , it trains around 2,500 children with focuses on : psychology , leadership and `` laughter therapy , '' according to coach Zuniga . `` The main idea was to help these children through sports , to give them a different opportunity : go to school , play basketball , to get away from the mountains , to see other parts of the world , '' he said . The most important factor that determines who participates in the tournament ( or who gets to be in the team ) is to have good grades . `` If they do n't have a 8.5 grade -- out of 10 -- ( in elementary school , ) they do n't train or play . '' `` With education as the motivator , the kids are going back to school , which is the project 's main goal : give these kids an education through basketball . Away from the sports , the most important results are those reached at school . '' According to Zuniga , the academy 's success inspired other Mexican states to adopt the Triqui community model . Similarly other countries such as Peru , Bolivia and some Hispanic communities in the United States have expressed interest in the program . Winning attitude . The Triqui kids were inspired after the Mexican team reigned at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship held in Caracas , Venezuela in September . `` We can also do it . If they did it , we can also win , we can qualify and be world champions , '' said Rigoberto Lopez , 11 , a member of the Triqui kids team , to CNN en Espanol before traveling to Argentina . Silverio Cruz , 9 , another member of the Triqui basketball team , said the most important element in the game is to have the `` mentality of a champion . '' Before leaving Argentina , the kids also defeated the Gorriones de Argentina 3-1 in a soccer match . The team 's next goal is to participate in the 2014 Barcelona Cup Basketball Tournament . In the meantime , they will keep working hard and will continue their journey to achieve their goals . `` It 's beautiful to see that all their cons became their weapons . Hunger , poverty , motivated them to show themselves as they are . It 's something we lack in Mexico : character , strength , inner strength . They are setting an example , even to me , that yes , you can do it , '' said Zuniga .
The Indian boys from Mexico win basketball games playing barefoot . The team playing without shoes shows the poverty in the mountains of Mexico . The games have been known as the ` ` Barefoot ##s of the Mountains '' Tournament in Argentina featured teams from all over Central and South America .