Top performers from Group B, C and D in second BCLA stage

 MIAMI (United States) – The second round of the Basketball Champions League Americas Group Stage proved that anything can happen when the orange ball is tossed into the air. Sao Paulo remained the only undefeated team, but the other two teams from Brazil, Flamengo and Minas, lost their undefeated status. The Uruguayan clubs took a step forward as well, Biguá headed towards the Final 8 and Nacional matched Quimsa, leaving everything open for the final stage.

Individual performances of some players tipped the balance in favor of their teams. These were the brightest stars in the second round of games:

Bruno Caboclo – São Paulo

The skilled power forward had shown all his talent in the first two games (20.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks) and on this occasion he once again was the most dominant player in the competition, responding to all expectations after his experience of just over six seasons in the NBA. In round two, Caboclo once again led Sao Paulo's two victories in Group B, posting even more impressive averages of 25.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 5.5 blocks.

If that were not enough, he made a leap in quality in his game on the perimeter by going 6-for-7 on three-pointers in the first game and 4-for-8 in the second, for a magnificent 66 percent effectiveness rate (15-10).

Dominic Morrison – Nacional

With an explosion of 42-points, the American forward almost single-handedly propelled Nacional over Quimsa to match them (1-3) in the Group B classification and stay alive for the last day of the calendar that will be played in March. So far in this edition of the tournament, it has been the most points scored by a player in a game.

Morrison's game against the Argentine club was a basketball clinic as he shot 16-26 from the field (two triples) and 8-11 from the free throw. He also grabbed six rebounds and had three steals for an efficiency of 38. In Nacional’s second game of round two - a setback against Sao Paulo - he led his team with 16 points becoming the tournaments scoring leader with an average of 29.0 points per contest.

Donald Sims – Biguá

The experienced 34-year-old point guard was the key to Biguá's comeback in Group C, which went undefeated at home in this second stage and equaled Minas in first place (3-1).

Sims on day one scored 26 with nine assists in a win over Obras Sanitarias and then in the important victory over Belo Horizonte, he kept up the good rhythm with another 24 -points and four assists.

The most outstanding thing for the North American, who has averaged 22.0 points so far in the competition, was his great versatility when it came to scoring. He was not as effective from long distance (4-14), but he managed to produce by attacking the hoop and with his mid-range game. He was particularly crafty against Minas, visiting the foul line 10 times good for eight points.

Eloy Vargas – Boca Juniors

Boca Juniors lived a dream second stage with two wins at home, including a victory against the current champion and powerful Flamengo, to place them at the top of Group D.

It was a team effort with several players contributing at the most important moments for head coach Gonzalo García, but the one that had the most consistent performance over the two wins was Vargas whose round two performance helped Boca fans forget about disappointing games from him in round one.

In the first two games in Rio de Janeiro, the Dominican international center was barely able to contribute 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds on average, but this time he was the leader of the Xeneizes with 15 points and seven rebounds against UdeC and then with 14 points and eight boards against Flamengo while shooting a solid 13-23 (57 percent) from the field.

FIBA