XALAPA (Mexico) – Real Estelí had to work to the final buzzer to clinch a spot in the Basketball Champions League Americas Quarter-Finals as they narrowly escaped a tough Gladiadores de Anzoátegui team on Thursday night, grabbing an 89-84 win in Group A action at Gimnasio Universitario.

The first quarter was all Estelí as they led by 11 points, with Adonys Henriquez tipping in 9 points including going perfect from the three-point line. Walter Hodge added another 5 points while Michael Fakuade controlled the play with 2 assists and 3 offensive rebounds.

Charles Garcia, Anthony Perez and Gregory Vargas all scored 4 points each for Gladiadores, but with the rest of their rotation adding just 2 points, they trailed early.

But as Gladiadores have shown many times in the competition, their slow starts are not a reason to count them out, and by the half they trailed by merely 3 points as they outscored Estelí 27-19 with the trio of Vargas, Perez and Garcia dominating offensively alongside Jezreel De Jesus adding 5 points in the quarter.

Gladiadores rotation finally found their footing as they tallied 18 points by the half from the bench, as well as using their size to control the boards on both ends of the floor, dominating the rebounds as well as getting points inside the paint.

Terrell Holloway added 8 points for Estelí in the quarter while Emmitt Williams added 4, but the team needed to regroup heading into the third quarter as they narrowly held onto what was once a double-digit lead as their rotation lacked production.

Estelí found a second wind into the third quarter as they led by 6 points once again, as Henriquez and Holloway led the group offensively while Williams and Ismael Romero controlled the boards defensively to keep as many second chances from Gladiadores as possible.

Finding success in transition, Estelí used their speed and defensive edge to force turnovers and score on the fast break, though their rotation still could not find the production they needed to get back to a double-digit lead.

Garcia and Vargas hustled for Gladiadores offensively, but as the team struggled from deep Estelí continued to force long range shoots and converted off the rebounds.

Gladiadores would not stop until the final buzzer, and De Jesus went off for 12 points in the final quarter while Jordan Crawford added 11 points in the second half to keep the team afloat, with the game coming down to a 4-point matchup in the final 16 seconds.

An unsportsmanlike foul on Jared Ruiz awarded Crawford a free throw and Gladiadores the ball back, making it a 3-point game. But as Vargas lost control of the ball, Romero grabbed the turnover and took it down the court where Henriquez would grab the rebound and score to make it a 5-point game with 4 seconds left.

One final block from Henriquez sealed the game and Estelí escaped the comeback attempt from Gladiadores to secure a crucial victory in Group A.

Henriquez led Estelí with 22 points, Holloway added 19 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, including a perfect 11-of-11 from the foul line, and Romero added a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.

De Jesus led Gladiadores with 19 points and 5 rebounds, Vargas added 15 points, 4 assists and 2 steals, and Garcia tallied 14 points and 7 rebounds in the loss.

FIBA