Fernandez's buzzer beater lead Caballos de Cocle to victory over Titanes

BARRANQUILLA (Colombia) - Despite blowing a 13-point lead in the fourth period of their BCL Americas game, Caballos de Cocle held off Titanes 80-79 on the road thanks to an epic buzzer beater from Tjader Fernandez.

It was truly a rollercoaster ride of a final 10 minutes as Caballos looked like they were running away with the game because of Ernesto Oglivie (22 points on 7-of-12 shooting). Titanes' pressure late in the game helped spark a furious rally, though, as they cut their deficit down to one-point with 20 seconds left.

Juan Tello drilled a clutch 3-pointer to give Titanes the lead with seven seconds remaining before Fernandez called game with an unbelievable, fading dagger from the free throw line to send Caballos atop Group A.

Before the dramatic finish, Oglivie was the star of the night as the 6-foot-6 forward had a monster outing. Oglivie shined on the interior, hitting Titanes with fadeaways, sweet post moves and a plethora of other attacks. He also pulled down seven boards and had an efficiency rating of 26, the highest in the game.

Even with Oglivie's performance, Caballos actually played rather sloppy on both ends. They got out-numbered in second chance points and points in the paint. They struggled to the tune of 17 turnovers. And they allowed Selem Safar, Jonathan Rodriguez and Tello to combine for a total of 54 points.

However, with Oglivie and Fernandez Garcia playing hero and the team's efficiency from both the field (46.6%) and from 3 (40%) being strong, they were able to walk away with a massive victory. This win gives Caballos the upper hand in what can easily be considered the most competitive group in the BCL Americas.

In loss, credit also must be given to Titanes. They trailed for nearly 35 minutes of game action and had very little punch from their bench. In spite of that, they nearly stole a victory due to their aggressive defense and physicality in the paint. They even played the best defense possible on Fernandez's final shot, as it couldn't have been contested better than it was.
Caballos (2-1) will continue their path in the second window of group play when they take the floor on Friday vs. Real Esteli. Meanwhile, Titanes (1-2) will have a day off before they resume play with a matchup vs. Real Esteli.

FIBA