Review: Leones de Ponce looks to make history

BARQUISIMETO (DIRECTV Liga de las Americas Final4) – Leones de Ponce qualified for the first time ever to the Final4 of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, and will look to take the next step by capturing the continental championship in Barquisimeto.

Leones de Ponce started the 2017 edition of the continental league as host of Group D. The team finished the first phase with a 2-1 record, that included victories over Academia La Montana (Colombia) and Cocodrilos de Caracas (Venezuela), and a loss against Bahia Basket (Argentina).

The Leones de Ponce started their participation with a victory over Academia (Colombia) by scorer of 76-61. The debut was a show of great plays by the host, led by Hakim Warrick, who led the game with 26 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 13/14 for a 92.9% from the field.

In their second game, the Leones faced Cocodrilos de Caracas in an emotional match that once again left the Venezuelan team one possession away to get the victory. The host took advantage early, but the defense of Cocodrilos was decisive, especially Yoshuar Palacios (with 5 steals) that returned them to the game. Maurice Sutton Jr. was huge in the paint for the Venezuelans, but Arroyo and his 8 points in the last 10 minutes of the match sealed the victory for the Leones by score of 88-84.

In the last game of the Group Stage, there was a duel of unbeaten when Bahia faced the hosts Leones de Ponce in a dramatic encounter. It was a close match in which both teams exchanged advantages behind big individual performances. For Leones, the start was given by the hand of Carlos Arroyo, who scored 12 points in the first quarter. For Bahia, the trio of Lucio Redivo, Vaulet and Johnson and an efficient offensive execution kept them in the game. In the third quarter appeared the figure of Angel Daniel Vassalló with 13 points and then in the fourth quarter with the basket that sent the game overtime.

In the overtime, Anthony Johnson was dominant in the paint and Bahia got the victory by a score of 96-92. Johnson finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds in the victory, while, for the Leones de Ponce, Vassallo shined with 34 points and 7 rebounds. Both teams qualified for the Semi-Final Phase.

Leones served as host of the Second Semi-Final Group and received the visit of Hebraica Macabi (Uruguay), San Lorenzo (Argentina) and Bahia Basket (Argentina).

In their first game of the Semifinal Phase, the Leones de Ponce retaliated from the defeat suffered against Bahía Basket during the first phase and overcame the Argentine team, 95 - 82. Víctor Liz led the offensive of the hosts with 21 points and was decisive for a team that was ahead on the scoreboard for much of the game. As usual, Lucio Redivo demonstrated his offensive repertoire and commanded the attack of Bahia with 28 points.

In the second day of the Semifinal group, Hebraica Macabi surprised the host and kept alive its Final4 hopes. Hebraica had a great start of 11-0 and maintained their composure before a team of Leones that lurked from behind. On the shoulders of its veterans Leandro García Morales and Michael Hicks, the Macabi team celebrated in Ponce by 80-67.

Against San Lorenzo and with the qualification to the Final4 on the line, the Leones de Ponce enlarged and surpassed to the Argentine champion in a party that needed two overtimes to determine a winner. The Leones captured the advantage early in the game, but San Lorenzo did not give up and forced two overtimes. Warrick and Arroyo were decisive in the closing moments and sentenced the game in favor of the host. The final score was 115-107. Thus, for the first time since 2013 a team from Puerto Rico secured its place in the outcome of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas.

On the first day of Final4, the Leones de Ponce will take on Guaros de Lara and Fuerza Regia will face Bahia Basket. The winners will then play for the continental title.

The Final4 of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas will be played on March 17 and 18. 

The Liga de las Americas is broadcast through DIRECTV (América), Punto2 (Puerto Rico) and through the web at livebasketball.tv (subscription required).

For the best coverage of the DIRECTV Liga de las Americas, visit ligamericas.com and our social networks @ligamericas.

FIBA