BUENOS AIRES (Argentina) - San Lorenzo thumped Sesi Franca on Saturday night to force a Game Three decider in the Basketball Champions League Americas Quarter-Finals showdown.

The Argentinian outfit, owing to a much-improved effort on defense from the opening contest in Brazil, led from start to finish and claimed a 91-76 triumph.

Luciano González had 16 points and Dar Tucker 15 for the winners, who scored the game's first seven points. The teams will square off again in a do-or-die clash on Monday with a spot in the Final Four at stake.

Now coached by Argentinian Nestor 'Che' Garcia, San Lorenzo, who will play in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup for the second straight year next month in Tenerife, led by as many as 28 points on Saturday against a Franca team that had broken up a close Game One in the third quarter and pulled away for a 75-59 win. 

Esteban Batista had eight points, seven rebounds and a game-high four steals for San Lorenzo

On Saturday, San Lorenzo were in command by half-time. Franca's Luciano Parodi scored the first points of the second half with a jumper to close the gap to 44-35 but the visitors got no closer the rest of the way.

Esteban Batista dunked in the first two points of the contest for the hosts and then Facundo Piñero drilled a three-ball before Tucker capped the opening 7-0 spurt with a slam following a steal from Batista.

The deficit grew, with Marcos Mata's three-point play giving San Lorenzo an 18-7 advantage. Franca pulled to within 25-21 early in the second quarter after baskets from David Jackson and Carlos Schattmann but San Lorenzo's defense then took over, holding the Brazilian club without a point for more than four minutes as they stretched their lead to 33-21.

San Lorenzo continued to be disruptive on defense while time and time again, its patience on offense got it good shots. By the end of the game, San Lorenzo had poured in 50 of its points in the paint. When it didn't score down low, it often drew fouls and that gave the hosts a decisive edge at the free-throw line where it make 12 of 16 attempts compared to Franca's six of six night. 

Franca tried to shoot themselves back into the game but finished six of 26 (23.1 percent) from behind the arc. The Brazilian club will have plenty of time to study a video replay of the game, which should help them cope better against the San Lorenzo defense on Monday.

The home crowd will be roaring, however, as San Lorenzo try to get to another Final Four. The club won the last two DIRECTV Liga de las Americas.