Mineros de Zacatecas Win First Title in Franchise History, Beat Astros for Copa Value

Mineros de Zacatecas captured the first championship in franchise history on September 6, beating Astros de Jalisco 87-71 in the final of the fourth edition of the Copa Value at Gimnasio Marcelino Gonzalez in Zacatecas. Romeao Ferguson (196-G-1997, college: Lipscomb) was named MVP of the tournament after a complete performance in the final, finishing with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, and the title capped an unlikely run for a Mineros team that had endured a difficult regular season before finding its form in the four-team preseason event.
Both finalists arrived off dramatic semifinal wins the day before. Mineros routed Dorados de Chihuahua 88-65 on September 5 behind 18 points and three three-pointers from Ferguson, while Astros needed a late push from Venezuelan guard Jose Ascanio (204-F-1996) to edge defending champion Soles de Mexicali 82-78, with Ascanio erupting for 24 points, 10 rebounds and 8 of 9 shooting from three.
The final told a different story for Ascanio and Astros. Mineros set the tone early, leading 25-18 after the first quarter and 45-38 at halftime behind Tavario Miller (203-C-1994, college: Texas A&M)'s hot start, before blowing the game open with a 28-15 third quarter that pushed the margin to 73-53. Daishon Smith knocked down two three-pointers during that decisive stretch, and although Francisco Cruz (192-G-1989, college: Wyoming) had kept Jalisco within range with three long-range shots of his own in the second quarter, Astros could not sustain the pace, managing just 18 points in the fourth as Mineros closed out the 87-71 win.
Miller finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds, and Anyelo Cisneros (200-F-1997) added 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists for the champions, making it Cisneros's second title of the calendar year after also winning the Liga Nacional de Basquet crown in Argentina with Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia. Ascanio, so dominant a day earlier, managed only 3 points and a rebound in nearly 23 minutes for Astros in the final.