Regatas secure their Final4 spot, Bauru and Estudiantes will play for last available ticket

CORRIENTES (DIRECTV Liga de las Américas 2018) — We now know who the third qualifying team is for the Final Four of the eleventh edition of Liga de las Américas. Due to a combination in results, Regatas Corrientes already secured their ticket in the tournament’s definition, as the first of Group F. Meanwhile, Bauru and Estudiantes de Concordia will fight for the last slot in the third game day. Twice-champions Guaros de Laras, for their part, ran out of chances.

In the start of the day, Bauru got their revenge after their two clashes against Guaros, and won 81-77, to gain their place in the second group of the Semi-Finals and keep their intentions of playing in the Final Four as they did in 2015 when they were champions, and in 2016 when they lost the Final. The Brazilian squad, with their game of control and patience, surpassed the Venezuelan side, that could not feel comfortable at any point in the game.

The great duo of Bauru, Alex García (16 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists) and Rafael Hettsheimeir (24 points and 8 rebounds) shone once again. But also important were the contributions by young players Michael Uchendu (10 points) and Jaú (7 points). Bauru’s substitutes were precisely the ones who made 29 points, while Guaros only did 7. For the Venezuelans, Heissler Guillent was the most outstanding, with 21 points. And, like this, and before expected, Fernando Duró’s team bade farewell to the struggle for the title.

In the second game, Regatas achieved their objective of winning 91-61 to Estudiantes, featuring a second quarter in which the hosts smashed their rivals, especially in the third quarter (24-8). In Gabriel Piccato’s squad, the substitutes made 58 points, while Victoriano’s did 20 after he gave his most important players a rest when the game was already defined.

Fabián Ramírez Barrios was the game’s greatest scorer with 14 points, while Paolo Quinteros and Gerald Fitch made 12 each for a team that passed the ball better (19 assists against 10). As for Estudiantes, their best scorers did 9 points each (Bolívar, Rivero, Doblas and Smith).

For the third game day, then, the key duel will happen first, with the clash between Bauru and Estudiantes de Concordia, to see who will qualify to accompany Regatas Corrientes and face San Lorenzo. Both come to the duel with a 1-1 record in Group F and the definition will be against each other. Meanwhile, Regatas already know that their first rival in the Final Four will be against Mogi das Cruzes, on Saturday March 24.

FIBA