LIGA SUDAMERICANA - Wins for Quimsa, Boca Juniors in Final Six

RIO DE JANEIRO (Liga Sudamericana) - Argentina clubs Quimsa and Boca Juniors clinched victories on the opening night of the Final Six in the Liga Sudamericana in Brazil.
 
Quimsa won the first game 84-74 behind 25 points from Diego Fernando Lo Grippo, 18 from Cleotis Brown III and 14 from Julio Mazzaro.
 
A three-ball from Mazzaro put Quimsa into a 27-26 lead against Venezuelans Espartanos de Margarita with 3:16 to go in the second quarter and they went to half-time in front, 37-33.
 
Espartanos stayed within striking distance but nevertheless trailed the rest of the way.
 
Hector Romero Rivas finished with a game-high 26 points in defeat.
 
For Boca Juniors, Juan Ignacio Brussino and Nkechinyelu Peter Ezugwu each had 16 points in an 86-80 triumph over Franca.
 
Boca were on top 21-15 at the end of the first quarter but their Brazilians opponents stormed back to lead 39-31 at half-time.
 
Trailing 41-36, nearly three minutes into the second half, Boca fought back.
 
An Ezugwu basket put them in front to stay with 3:44 to go in the frame.
 
They ended the quarter on a 14-6 run and went on to lead by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter before prevailing by six.
 
Andre Stefanelli Martins scored 19 points for Franca.
 
Boca out-rebounded Franca 39-29 and would have won more decisively but made just 32 of 48 (67%) of their free-throws.
 
FIBA