Bauru try to ride home advantage to glory

BAURU (Liga Sudamericana) - The stakes are high this week in South American basketball.

The Liga Sudamericana Final Four is to be staged in Bauru, and the host city has a chance to bring a lot of prestige to the club.

On Tuesday night, Bauru will square off against Uruguayans Malvin in the Semi-Finals with the winner to meet the side that prevails in the first semi, Boca Juniors or Mogi das Cruzes.

Vasco da Gama (1999 and 2000), Uberlandia (2005), Flamengo (2009) and Uniceub Brasilia (2010 and 2013) are the Brazilian teams to have conquered the Liga Sudamericana in the past couple of decades.

Not only is a championship up for grabs, but a spot in the FIBA Americas League.

"It will be very nice to play at home and go after an international title in our own gym that has not been won by Bauru," said coach Guerrinha.

"Being a champion gives us the right to play in the FIBA Americas League in 2015 and we expect full house. 

"The crowd of Bauru is very faithful and committed to basketball."

If Bauru, who have a Brazilian national team flavor in their roster, play as well as they did in the last round, it's going to be difficult for the others.

Robert Day made his first nine three-pointers and finished 10 of 12 from behind the arc in their 95-87 triumph over Uniceub Brasilia and then against Comunikt, Rafael Hettsheimer exploded for 34 points.

The Brazil center made 10 of his 12 shots inside the arc and even drilled a few three-pointers.

Ricardo Fischer was also the perfect conductor of the orchestra.

The point guard had 13 assists to go with his 12 points - all of which were scored with a four-of-four effort from long range.

Even in their toughest test against Mogi das Cruzes, Bauru had far too much firepower and won, 91-78.

Fischer (21 points), Day, Brazil point guard Larry Taylor (18 points each) and Wesley Sena (15) tore apart Mogi in that battle for Group F supremacy.

Add veteran Brazil international forward Alex Garcia and sharpshooter Jefferson Andrade Da Silva to the mix and coach Guerrinha has no shortage of options to attack opponents with.

"These are the four best teams in the tournament in search of a place in the Final," Taylor said. "The Malvin team is very strong, but we are playing on our court and in front of our fans.

"It's a game of life and death, and we have to win."

Malvin are nevertheless attempting to become the first side from Uruguay to lift the title.

Aguada came up one win shy of doing so last year.

Key men for Malvin will be Uruguay internationals Mathias Calfani and Nicolas Mazzarino, along with Richard Chaney, Federico Bavosi, captain Fernando Martinez and Reque Newsome.

Martinez was particularly impressive for Malvin in their 84-73 victory over Winner Limeira.

The club captain drilled three of four shots from long range and scored a game-high 27 points.

Boca Juniors are not short of confidence and much of the reason has been the team's unselfishness.

After losing their Group F opener to Winner Limeira, 82-76, and then scraping a 78-76 win over Argentino de Junin, a game that saw Isaac Carmelo Sosa pour in 26 points. Boca then had 19 assists in beating Malvin, 78-67.

Center Pedro Calderon had six of those helpers, while Jonatan Treise took up the mantle as the team's leading scorer with 27 points.

Mogi will be dangerous opponents.

The Brazilian team has the slick shooting Shamell Stallworth, a player equally dangerous with his jump shot and penetrating ability, and workhorse Tyrone Curnell.

Curnell was exceptional on defense in the team's 92-70 victory over Uniceub, coming up with a game-high seven steals. Uniceub had just two as a team.

Elio Corazza has been terrific in the backcourt and proving a spark off the bench has been Gerson Do Espiritu.

Mogi have a man who fights in the trenches in big man Daniel Castellar, size in 2.10m center Paulo Prestes and an explosive reserve in captain Guilherme Filipin.

In their win over Uniceub that clinched a spot in the Final Four, Filipin connected on five of six shots from beyond the arc and scored 19 points.

"We will face a good team," Mogi coach Francisco Garcia said, "which uses its long-range shooting and the positioning of players far from the rim (for spacing)."

FIBA