PONCE (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas) – Hebraica Macabi traveled to Buenos Aires to be part of Group C of the DIRETCV Liga de las Americas and earned a spot in the Semi-Final Phase of the continental league after achieving a 2-1 record.

The Uruguayan club started its participation with a victory over Capitanes de Arecibo by a score of 82-75, with Leandro García Morales leading the way with 22 points and 4 three-pointers. Capitanes remained in the match with the contributions from Donte Greene and David Huertas, until the latter came out of the game due to personal fouls and the Puerto Rican club felt short in the final minutes.

Against San Lorenzo, it was an emotional 40 minutes in which the Uruguayan club imposed its veteran style led by Michael Hicks (23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists) and Leandro García Morales (18 points, 6 three-pointers) along with a great showing from point guard Luciano Parodi. However, the host remained disciplined behind a great game from its point guard Nicolas "Penka" Aguirre (14 points and 9 assists) and once again Deck (29 points and 6 rebounds). San Lorenzo defeated Hebraica y Macabo by a score of 85-72.

Hebraica y Macabi closed their participation with a victory over Bucaneros de La Guaira by a score of 82-77. The key and dominant man was Panamanian Jose Jaime Lloreda, who finished with an impressive 26 points and 21 rebounds (equaling the historic mark of the competition) in a match in which Bucaneros showed moments of resistance and paid for its indiscipline in the last quarter. Once again, Hicks (25 points and 4 rebounds) and Garcia Morales (15 points and 5 assists) were decisive for the Uruguayan club.

Hebraica Macabi will travel to Ponce, Puerto Rico to be part of the second Semi-Final Group of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas along with San Lorenzo (Argentina), Bahia Basket (Argentina) and the host Leones de Ponce (Puerto Rico).

With two Final4 tickets on the line, the top two teams from the Semi-Final Group in Ponce will join Fuerza Regia (Mexico) and Guaros de Lara (Venezuela) in the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas Final4.

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

For the best coverage of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas 2017, visit ligamericas.com and our social networks @ligamericas.

FIBA