CHI - Liceo Mixto crowned champions in Chile

CONCEPCION (Centro-Sur League) - Liceo Mixto have been crowned the Centro-Sur league champions in Chile for the first time in their history.

They defeated Universidad de Concepcion 105-90 in the final to complete a surprise championship win and inflict a first league defeat of the season on Concepcion.

Concepcion reached the last match of the league with 18 regular-season triumphs and one more in the semi-finals, in which they defeated Deportivo Aleman 98-86.

Meanwhile, Liceo Mixto got to the final thanks to a 80-62 win over Boston College, in a match in which Rodrigo Espinoza was superb with 28 points.

In the final, Liceo steadily built a large lead in the first three quarters, as Universidad de Concepcion were backed by a partisan home crowd.

Despite that support, Liceo defended greatly in that last period to finally win their first trophy.

Liceo coach Pablo Ares said: "We had 30 minutes of great basketball. In the last 10, they (Concepcion) came to hurt us, but we managed to win at the end, even with young players who had just a few minutes on the court.

"We played a great match, a great tournament and defeated the big favourites for the championship".

PA Sport