BUENOS AIRES (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas) - The host confirmed its power and their neighbor made history. San Lorenzo (Argentina) and Hebraica y Macabi (URU) qualified to the Semi-Final Phase of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas 2017.

San Lorenzo was pure dominion. The host of Group C finished unbeaten and in the first position of the qualifying group. Their weekend started with a dominant 76-51 win over Bucaneros de La Guaira (Venezuela) led by Gabriel Deck, who used this weekend to demonstrate his growth as a player and the extensive offensive skills he possesses at the international level. The forward scored 23 points, with 6 rebounds in the win.

The Argentine club did the same to close the group against Capitanes de Arecibo (Puerto Rico) with an impressive defensive performance that limited the Puerto Rican club to only 12 points in the first quarter, against Marcos Mata who scored 13 in the first 10 minutes of the game. At the end of the first half, the advantage was 54-25 for San Lorenzo on the way to a comfortable victory that qualified the team to the Semi-Final Phase and with top honors in Group C. The host won 82-63 and Deck shined with 24 points and 6 rebounds.

The most difficult match was against the other qualified team of the group, Hebraica y Macabi (Uruguay). 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.

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.

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.

San Lorenzo and Hebraica now join Soles de Mexicali (Mexico), La Unión de Formosa (Argentina), Fuerza Regia (Mexico) and the defending champion of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas Guaros de Lara (Venezuela) in the next phase of the continental league.

Group D will be played this Friday, February 10 in Ponce, Puerto Rico with the participation of Weber Bahia Blanca (Argentina), Academia La Montaña (Colombia), Cocodrilos de Caracas (Venezuela) and host Leones de Ponce.

The calendar of the Group can be found here.

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

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

FIBA