PUR - Leones back to winning ways

PONCE (Baloncesto Superior Nacional) - After starting the season with four wins in a row, Leones de Ponce then dropped their next five but they have steadied the ship by winning their last two and climbing back up the BSN standings.

Ponce's luck turned around for the better after a change in their import players. They signed forward Leon Rodgers (picture) and prior to their last game added Lee Nailon to spark new life into their offense.

Nailon signed with the team after being released by Quebradillas, who let the American go to address other needs in their roster.
 
Last Friday, Leones put an end to their five-game losing streak by beating Gallitos de Isabela 86-77 behind Ricky Melendez's 20 points with Rodgers adding 19 and Bobby Joe Hatton chipping 17. The team shot 53% from the field (33-62) and 59% from three point range (13-22).
 
On Monday, Leones recorded their second win in a row with a 91-77 crushing of visiting Mets de Guaynabo. Rodgers had a team-high 20 points - 18 of them coming in the second half - and grabbed 12 rebounds. Manuel Narvaez contributed a massive double-double of 18 points and 16 boards, while Melendez netted 15. Nailon, who had averaged 21 points and 7.6 rebounds with Quebradillas, finished with 12 in his debut.
 
Meanwhile, Jonathan Garcia hit an incredible half-court shot to give Quebradillas an 88-85 win over visiting Indios de Mayagüez.

David Huertas finished with 20 points and Joel Jones Camacho added 15 for the hosts while Alejandro Carmona had 22 and James Maye 20 for Mayagüez who are still without a win so far this season with an 0-9 mark.
 
Elsewhere, Ricardo Dalmau reached the 6,000 point plateau last Friday after helping Cangrejeros Santurce beat his old team Piratas de Quebradillas 87-77. Dalmau had 19 points and joined his brothers Christian and Richie as well as his father Raymond in reaching that landmark.
 
Capitanes de Arecibo are top of the table with a 6-1 record after edging out Gallitos de Isabela 78-77 thanks to Larry Ayuso's winning basket in the closing seconds.

Gallitos dominated the whole game but Ayuso snatched the win much to the delight of the home fans. The shooting guard finished with 18 points and David Cortes added 16 in the winning cause while Filiberto Rivera was the game's high-scorer with 21 for Gallitos.
 
BSN action continues today as Vaqueros de Bayamon visit Atleticos de San German.

FIBA