BRA - Rio Claro beaten by Joinville

JOINVILLE (Campeonato Nacional) - Rio Claro remain third in the Campeonato Nacional after suffering a 76-74 defeat at Joinville in the second game of their mini road trip.

Rio Clara had begun their travels with a 95-79 victory over Inesul on Thursday, in which Felipe led all scorers with 25 points and four rebounds for the winners.

But they were unable to match that performance in Joinville, where 21 points from Espiga helped the hosts to a narrow win.

The teams were tied at 41-41 at half-time, but a 23-17 run in the third period gave Joinville the edge with a late burst from Rio Clara not enough to stave off defeat.

Soro poured in 18 points for Rio Clara, but the show belonged to Joinville's Espiga.

"We showed that we are a battling team," said the guard. "We deserved this victory, as we worked hard to achieve it.

"Rio Claro are always a difficult opponent. Now, we have a long path ahead of us to recover in the competition."

Joinville improved their record to 4-9, but are ninth in the 13-team table.

PA Sport