FIBA AMERICAS LEAGUE - Halcones Rojos, Capitanes are Final Four Bound

VERACRUZ (FIBA Americas League) - Mexico and Puerto Rico have teams in the FIBA Americas League Final Four following big weekends in Group E by Capitanes de Arecibo and hosts Halcones Rojos.

Puerto Ricans Capitanes had to pull off a great comeback against Flamengo on the third day of the action to reach the last four of the competition for the first time.

Despite playing without their Brazil national team star Marcelo Machado, who missed the game with a neck problem, Flamengo had a 75-65 lead at the end of the third quarter.

David Teague and Duda Machado, Marcelo's brother, had 30 and 16 points, respectively, with 10 minutes still to be played.

Capitanes, who had beaten Penarol on the opening day and then fallen to Halcones Rojos on Day Two, battled back in the fourth quarter and defeated Flamengo 87-85.

Long-time Puerto Rico international Larry Ayuso (pictured) hit the game-winning shot in the last minute for Capitanes.

"This has been a wonderful thing, it is not just that we won and classified, but how we won," said the manager of Capitanes, Luis Monrouzeau.

"We were losing the entire game. Nothing went right for us. But in the end we found ourselves."

Halcones Rojos hosted Group E and gave their fans something to cheer about with a 77-68 triumph over Penarol - the defending champions and two-time winner of the FIBA Americas League.

Brandon Robinson poured in 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Veracruz team with Jaime Lloreda also contributing 22 points and 10 boards.

FIBA