PONCE (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas) – The Final4 are set! Leones de Ponce (Puerto Rico) and Bahía Basket (Argentina) joined Fuerza Regia (Mexico) and Guaros de Lara (Venezuela) in the Final4 of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, after surpassing an intense semifinal group that was defined in the last day of competition.

In their first game of the Semifinal Phase, the Leones de Ponce retaliated from the defeat suffered against Bahía Basket during the first phase and overcame the Argentine team, 95 - 82. Víctor Liz led the offensive of the hosts with 21 points and was decisive for a team that was ahead on the scoreboard for much of the game. As usual, Lucio Redivo demonstrated his offensive repertoire and commanded the attack of Bahia with 28 points.

In the second day of the Semifinal group, Hebraica Macabi surprised the host and kept alive its Final4 hopes. Hebraica had a great start of 11-0 and maintained their composure before a team of Leones that lurked from behind. On the shoulders of its veterans Leandro García Morales and Michael Hicks, the Macabi team celebrated in Ponce by 80-67.

Against San Lorenzo and with the qualification to the Final4 on the line, the Leones de Ponce enlarged and surpassed to the Argentine champion in a party that needed two overtimes to determine a winner. The Leones captured the advantage early in the game, but San Lorenzo did not give up and forced two overtimes. Warrick and Arroyo were decisive in the closing moments and sentenced the game in favor of the host. The final score was 115-107. As a result, for the first time since 2013 a team from Puerto Rico secured its place in the outcome of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas.

The team coached by Sebastián Ginobili recovered from the defeat suffered in the first day, with a victory against San Lorenzo. From the hands of Lucio Redivo, the Bahians found themselves early in the game and began to move away on the scoreboard. Bahia continued adding and took 20 points of difference to take the victory 89 - 69.

The Bahians needed a victory against Hebraica Macabi to secure their qualification to the Final4 and they did so in a masterly way. The Bahian quintet recovered from a slow start and came back from a 21-point difference in the second half to defeat Hebraica 73-69. The additions of Lucio Redivo, Maximo Fjellerup and center Anthony Johnson, who had a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds, were crucial for Bahía's aspirations. Bahia Basket earned the qualification for the Final4 for the first time.

On the first day of Final4, the Leones de Ponce will take on Guaros de Lara and Fuerza Regia will face Bahia Basket. The winners will then play for the continental title.

The Final4 of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas will be played on March 17 and 18 in a venue to be announced.

The Liga de las Americas is broadcast through DIRECTV (América), Punto2 (Puerto Rico) and through the web at livebasketball.tv (subscription required).

For the best coverage of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, visit ligamericas.com and our social networks @ligamericas.

FIBA