Group B Preview: Aguada writes new international chapter at home, welcomes Pinheiros, Quilmes and Osorno

MONTEVIDEO (DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana 2017) - DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana's Group B is ready to launch in Montevideo, with the participation of basketball clubs Quilmes de Mar del Plata (Argentina), Pinheiros (Brazil), Osorno Básquetbol (Chile), and hosts Aguada (Uruguay).

It will be a leveled group with renowned South American teams in a context that in recent years has turned into one of the most colorful and exciting in the continent.

Quilmes de Mar del Plata arrives at Group B after a 2016-2017 season in which they were eliminated from Semis by eventual champions San Lorenzo, after a great post-season. In the Super 20 that is just beginning, the Argentine club has a 3-2 record, with 3 consecutive victories and outstanding performances by Eric Flor (leader in points per game, with 16.8), who was the revelation of the competition's previous edition. This year, Quilmes added Puerto Rican player Ricardo Sánchez, as well as Nicolás Ferreyra to their ranks; and kept Enzo Ruiz and Iván Basualdo, the squad’s leading figures.

Pinheiros, were DIRECTV Liga de las Américas 2013 champions, and semi-finalists of the 2016/17 edition of the Brazil National League, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Bauru. Current MVP of the Brazil National League, Desmond Holloway, could not make it to Montevideo due to injury. A big loss given he averaged 19.3 points per game next to Corderro Bennett, with 14.7 per game; as well as National Team members Renan, Gemerson and Ansaloni, who together averaged nearly 30 points per game, leading the attack of a Pinheiros team that is currently in the playoffs of the São Paulo state championships.

Chilean club Osorno Básquetbol has a 2-2 record in their national league's start, including a victory against Universidad Católica in a match before this Group B bracket began. Among their ranks are players such as Uruguayan Emiliano Giano and US American Terry Taylor. The former made 35 points against Universidad Católica and is the defensive spearhead of a team that by all accounts seemed the group's weakest, but after last week's developments with Cimarrones, they’re now hopeful of competing with any of the group’s adversaries.

Aguada come back to the continental stage to keep adding chapters to a historic international stage that began with the 2013 Liga Sudamericana, where they reached the final, but fell against UniCEUB/BRB to leave the competition with the second place. Of that 5-player squad, their Point Guard Federico Bavosi remains, as well as foreigners Jeremis Smith and Dwayne Curtis, as key elements to the team. For this Sudamericana, Aguada added National Team member Nicolás Borsello and American Kyle Lamonte, a legendary reinforcement who’s currently in the end of his carreer, and who was the DIRECTV Liga de las Américas MVP in the 2009/10 season with Peñarol de Mar del Plata.

Group B’s action will begin tonight with the match between Pinheiros and Quilmes de Mar del Plata, followed by Aguada vs Osorno in the closing. The complete schedule of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana and this Group B may be consulted here.

The 2017 edition of the DIRECTV Liga Sudamericana began last week in Chocó, Colombia, where Flamengo and hosts Cimarrones qualified to the next round.

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FIBA