BELO HORIZONTE (Brazil) – Minas Tenis Clube (BRA) became the first team from Group C to clinch a spot in the Quarter-Finals of the Basketball Champions League Americas after overwhelming Aguada (URU) 94-62 at Arena UniBH in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The Brazilian side put on a dominant display in front of the home crowd, featuring a deadly perimeter attack and efficient scoring in transition.
Turning point
Minas knocked down 11 three-pointers on 21 attempts in the first half and went into the break ahead 50-41, but the game tilted in its favor in the third quarter. A 24-8 run allowed the hosts to open up a commanding 74-49 lead heading into the final period.
Player of the game
Big man Alexandre Paranhos led Minas with 14 points, and the team had five players score in double figures. Rafael Rachel followed with 13 points (4 three-pointers) and 8 rebounds—his highest in BCL Americas play— while Juan Arengo also scored 13 (3 three-pointers). Erik McCree added 12 points (3 triples), and Wini Braga chipped in 11 points on just 5 shot attempts, along with 7 rebounds, posting the highest efficiency rating on the team with 19.
Aguada remains winless against Brazilian teams in the league (0-5). Santiago Vidal (5 assists) and Agustín Zuvich scored 14 points apiece for Aguada. Luis Santos contributed 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds, reaching 200 career rebounds in BCL Americas. He became the eighth player to reach that milestone in the competition.
Stats don’t lie
The hosts finished the night with a scorching 18-of-36 performance from beyond the arc (50 percent). In contrast, Aguada went just 5-of-30 from three-point range (17 percent) and shot only 31 percent overall from the field (22-of-72). Coached by Leo Costa, Minas also dominated in transition, outscoring its opponents 26-14 in fast-break points.
Bottom line
Minas (4-1) will enjoy a day off on Thursday after officially sealing its place in the next round. The Brazilian club will close group play on Friday against Boca Juniors in a matchup that could help determine first place in the group. Aguada (1-4), meanwhile, will face Boca Juniors (2-2) on Thursday in a must-win game to keep its hopes alive. The teams split wins in their two previous meetings.
FIBA