LNBP Round 13 (Regular Season): Abejas are defeated by Halcones Rojos

There will be only one (last) round of the Regular Season in LNBP. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Abejas (18-8) in Veracruz on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by fifth ranked Halcones Rojos (11-15) 92-84. Halcones Rojos had a 31-20 advantage in offensive rebounds. Bahamas forward Tavario Miller (203-1994, college: Texas A&M) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 27 points and 13 rebounds (made all of his seven free throws) for the winners and American guard Michael Henry (198-1995, college: Buffalo St., agency: Haylett Sports) chipped in 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. At the losing side American Markeith Cummings (198-1988, college: KSU) responded with 21 points and 5 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Halcones Rojos maintains fifth place with 11-15 record, which they share with Mineros. Abejas at the other side still keep top position with eight games lost. Halcones Rojos is looking forward to face higher ranked Halcones UV Xalapa (#4) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Abejas will play against Soles and are hoping to win this game.
Sixth-ranked Soles (7-18) gave a tough game to first ranked Libertadores (19-7) in Mexicali. The visitors from Queretaro managed to secure only three-point victory 77-74. However their fans expected much easier game. American guard Avry Holmes (185-1994, college: Clemson) nailed 28 points for the winning side and Bennie Boatwright accounted for 9 points and 5 assists. The former international guard Luke Martinez (190-1990, college: Wyoming, agency: Pro Sports) came up with 18 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for Soles in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Libertadores have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 19-7 record. Soles at the other side keep the sixth position with 18 games lost. Libertadores will play against league's second-placed Plateros in Fresnillo in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Soles will play on the road against the league's leader Abejas (#1) in Guanajuato and hope to get back on the winning track.
Sixth-ranked Soles (7-18) gave a tough game to first ranked Libertadores (19-7) in Mexicali on Friday. The visitors from Queretaro managed to secure only two-point victory 81-79. However their fans expected much easier game. Tyrik Armstrong fired 23 points and 4 assists (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) for the winners. Libertadores' coach used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. Luke Martinez produced 21 points for lost side. Libertadores have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 19-7 record. Loser Soles keep the sixth position with 18 games lost. Libertadores will meet league's second-placed Plateros in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Soles will play against the league's leader Abejas (#1) in Guanajuato and hope to secure a win.

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 13: Fuerza Regia won against Freseras on the opponent's court 81-80. Dorados managed to outperform Santos in a home game 96-84. Correcaminos were rolled over Plateros on the road 126-101. Freseras defeated Fuerza Regia on its own court 83-77. Santos smashed Dorados in San Luis Potosi 97-77. Plateros won against Correcaminos at home 96-83. Halc.Xalapa were outscored by Astros on the opponent's court 102-77. Panteras managed to beat Mineros in a home game 96-93. Mineros were defeated by Panteras on the road 102-97. Astros beat Halc.Xalapa on its own court 89-78. Abejas won against Halc.Rojos in Guanajuato 107-100.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 23 points and 12 assists by Joseph Soto of Abejas.



Freseras - Fuerza Regia 80-81

Very expected game in Irapuato where 7th ranked Freseras (6-20) were edged by second ranked Fuerza Regia (17-8) 81-80 on Thursday. Fuerza Regia forced 19 Freseras turnovers. American Shonn Miller (201-1993, college: UConn) fired 21 points and 9 rebounds for the winners. His fellow American import power forward Jerai Grant (203-1989, college: Clemson, agency: Octagon Europe) chipped in 10 points and 8 rebounds. Fuerza Regia's coach used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. American guard Antwon Lillard (198-1995, college: BGSU) produced 23 points and 8 rebounds and swingman Manuel Hernandez (193-1991) added 13 points and 5 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Fuerza Regia maintains second place with 17-8 record having just three points less than leader Abejas. Loser Freseras keep the seventh position with 20 games lost. Fuerza Regia will meet Panteras (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Freseras will play against Dorados (#5) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Freseras: A.Lillard 23+8reb+1ast, M.Hernandez 13+5reb+3ast, M.Butler 12+2reb+5ast, P.Reyes 10+6reb+5ast, J.Everett 8+5reb+1ast, M.Crawford 7+4reb+2ast
Fuerza Regia: S.Miller 21+9reb+1ast, M.Wright 12+1reb+4ast, D.Bejarano 11+4reb+1ast, J.Grant 10+8reb+1ast, K.Rivers 6+3reb+1ast, L.Faggiano 6+2reb+5ast

Dorados - Santos 96-84

There was a small surprise in Chihuahua where fifth ranked Dorados (13-13) defeated 3rd placed Santos (14-11) 96-84 on Thursday. Dorados made 22-of-25 free shots (88.0 percent) during the game. Dorados outrebounded Santos 41-29 including 26 on the defensive glass. American-Filipino guard Mikh McKinney (184-1992, college: Sacramento St.) fired 23 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. Dominican-American forward Anyeuri Castillo (201-1997, college: USC Aiken) chipped in 25 points and 5 rebounds. Four Dorados players scored in double figures. American-Puerto Rican point guard Tjader Fernandez (178-1994) produced 21 points and 8 rebounds and Puerto Rican forward Josue Erazo (203-1995, college: PR-Rio Piedras) added 20 points and 6 rebounds respectively for lost side. Santos' coach rotated eleven players in this game, but that didn't help. Dorados have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain fifth place with 13-13 record. Loser Santos dropped to the fourth position with 11 games lost. Dorados will meet Freseras (#7) in the next round. Santos will play against Correcaminos and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Santos: T.Fernandez 21+8reb+3ast, J.Erazo 20+6reb+1ast, C.Barry 11+4reb, R.Christmas 8+3reb, D.Willis 5+3reb+1ast, E.Luzcando 5+1reb+4ast
Dorados: A.Castillo 25+5reb+2ast, M.McKinney 23+6reb+3ast, M.Clark 16+6reb+4ast, A.Gil-Fernandez 11+5reb+3ast, T.Gipson 9+11reb+3ast, E.Thompson 6+6reb

Plateros - Correcaminos 126-101

Not a big story in a game in Fresnillo where 7th ranked Correcaminos (1-24) were rolled over by second ranked Plateros (16-10) 126-101 on Thursday. Plateros looked well-organized offensively handing out 35 assists comparing to just 16 passes made by Correcaminos' players. American-Nigerian swingman Tanksley Efianayi (198-1994, college: UCF) fired 29 points (on 12-of-15 shooting from the field) for the winners. The former international center Joshua Ibarra (211-1995, college: HCU) chipped in 22 points and 7 rebounds. Plateros' coach felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. American Tim Bond (201-1995, college: EMU, agency: BMS Sport Agency) produced 24 points and 5 rebounds and the former international center Jose Zesati (205-1994) added 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists respectively for lost side. Five Plateros and four Correcaminos players scored in double figures. Plateros have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 16-10 record having just three points less than leader Abejas. Correcaminos lost twenty first consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 24 games lost. Plateros will meet at home league's leader Libertadores in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Correcaminos will play against Santos (#4) in San Luis Potosi and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Correcaminos: T.Bond 24+5reb+3ast, J.Zesati 20+6reb+5ast, G.Vazquez 19+3reb, V.Johnson 10+3reb+3ast, A.Allen 10+9reb, P.Luis 8+1reb+1ast
Plateros: T.Efianayi 29+3reb+3ast, J.Ibarra 22+7reb+3ast, J.Reese V 16+3reb+3ast, D.Huertas 15+3reb+4ast, I.Montano 13+6reb+8ast, D.Giron 8+3reb+1ast

Soles - Libertadores 74-77

Sixth-ranked Soles (7-18) gave a tough game to first ranked Libertadores (19-7) in Mexicali. The visitors from Queretaro managed to secure only three-point victory 77-74. However their fans expected much easier game. American guard Avry Holmes (185-1994, college: Clemson) nailed 28 points for the winning side and his fellow American import forward Bennie Boatwright (208-1996, college: USC) accounted for 9 points and 5 assists. The former international guard Luke Martinez (190-1990, college: Wyoming, agency: Pro Sports) came up with 18 points and 5 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) and American guard Donte Clark (194-1994, college: Texas Southern) added 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists respectively for Soles in the defeat. Five Soles players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Libertadores have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 19-7 record. Soles at the other side keep the sixth position with 18 games lost. Libertadores will play against league's second-placed Plateros in Fresnillo in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Soles will play on the road against the league's leader Abejas (#1) in Guanajuato and hope to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Soles: L.Martinez 18+5reb+3ast, H.Thompson 14+4reb, R.Pearson 13+2ast, A.Parker 11+3reb+2ast, D.Clark 10+8reb+5ast, A.Smith 4+4reb+1ast
Libertadores: A.Holmes 28+4reb+3ast, J.Gutierrez 16+1ast, B.Frazier 10+6reb, B.Boatwright 9+4reb+5ast, S.Spencer 6+7reb+2ast, T.Armstrong 6+1ast

Freseras - Fuerza Regia 83-77

There was a surprise result in Irapuato where seventh ranked Freseras (6-20) beat much higher ranked Fuerza Regia (17-8) 83-77 on Friday. Freseras had a 34-21 advantage in offensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. Swingman Manuel Hernandez (193-1991) fired 20 points and 6 rebounds for the winners. American forward Jeff Ayres (206-1987, college: Arizona St., agency: Slash Sports) chipped in 12 points and 9 rebounds. Four Freseras players scored in double figures. American point guard Marquis Wright (185-1995, college: Siena, agency: Octagon Europe) produced 18 points and 5 rebounds and the other American import power forward Jerai Grant (203-1989, college: Clemson, agency: Octagon Europe) added 11 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Freseras maintains seventh place with 6-20 record. Loser Fuerza Regia keeps the second position with eight games lost. Freseras will meet at home higher ranked Dorados (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Fuerza Regia will play against Panteras in Aguascalientes and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Fuerza Regia: M.Wright 18+5reb+1ast, G.Giron 11+2reb+1ast, J.Grant 11+8reb+1ast, A.Fuller 9+5reb, K.Rivers 9+5reb+1ast, J.Avila 5+2reb
Freseras: M.Hernandez 20+6reb+3ast, A.Lillard 14+2reb+5ast, J.Ayres 12+9reb+2ast, M.Butler 10+2reb+3ast, P.Leal-Cruz 6+3reb+3ast, T.David 6+2reb

Dorados - Santos 77-97

There was no surprise in Chihuahua where 5th ranked Dorados (13-13) were outplayed by third ranked Santos (14-11) 97-77 on Friday. Santos dominated down low during the game scoring 46 of its points in the paint compared to Dorados' 20. They outrebounded Dorados 36-25 including 25 on the defensive glass. Santos looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. American-Dominican guard Adonys Henriquez (201-1994, college: St.Louis, agency: BMS Sport Agency) fired 24 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Panamanian-Chilean point guard Eugenio Luzcando (190-1995, college: Idaho St.) chipped in 20 points and 9 assists. Five Santos players scored in double figures. American-Filipino guard Mikh McKinney (184-1992, college: Sacramento St.) produced 15 points and 9 assists and American guard Alex Gil-Fernandez (193, college: CSUSM) added 12 points respectively for lost side. Dorados' coach rotated ten players seeing no chance for a win. Despite that victory Santos went down to fourth position due to points difference. Loser Dorados keep the fifth place with 13 games lost. Santos will meet at home Correcaminos (#7) in the next round. Dorados will play against Freseras in Irapuato and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Dorados: M.McKinney 15+4reb+9ast, A.Gil-Fernandez 12+3reb+3ast, M.Clark 11+2reb+1ast, W.Daniels 9+2reb+3ast, T.Gipson 9+6reb, A.Castillo 8+2reb+1ast
Santos: A.Henriquez 24+6reb+5ast, E.Luzcando 20+4reb+9ast, O.De Haro 15+1reb+4ast, J.Erazo 11+9reb+3ast, C.Barry 10+1reb, T.Parker-Rivera 10+12reb+3ast

Plateros - Correcaminos 96-83

No shocking result in a game in Fresnillo where second ranked Plateros (16-10) won against 7th ranked Correcaminos (1-24) 96-83 on Friday. They outrebounded Correcaminos 51-30 including a 19-7 advantage in offensive rebounds. Plateros looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists comparing to just 9 passes made by Correcaminos' players. The former international center Joshua Ibarra (211-1995, college: HCU) fired a double-double by scoring 26 points and 21 rebounds for the winners. American forward Jamil Wilson (201-1990, college: Marquette) chipped in 13 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Plateros' coach used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American guard Jeff Early Jr (190-1988, college: SIU) produced 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and naturalized Puerto Rican Jorge Torres (196) added 18 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Plateros have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain second place with 16-10 record having just three points less than leader Abejas. Correcaminos lost twenty first consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with 24 games lost. Plateros will meet at home league's leader Libertadores in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Correcaminos will play against Santos (#4) in San Luis Potosi and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Correcaminos: J.Early Jr. 26+7reb+4ast, T.Jorge 18+8reb+2ast, V.Johnson 12+4reb, J.Zesati 10+6reb+1ast, T.Bond 9+2reb, G.Vazquez 3+2reb+1ast
Plateros: J.Ibarra 26+21reb+2ast, D.Huertas 20+4reb+2ast, J.Wilson 13+6reb+8ast, J.Reese V 10+7reb+2ast, I.Montano 8+5reb+9ast, T.Efianayi 8+2reb+1ast

Soles - Libertadores 79-81

Sixth-ranked Soles (7-18) gave a tough game to first ranked Libertadores (19-7) in Mexicali on Friday. The visitors from Queretaro managed to secure only two-point victory 81-79. However their fans expected much easier game. Libertadores outrebounded Soles 29-18 including 22 on the defensive glass. American point guard Tyrik Armstrong (178-1998, college: Texas Southern, agency: MSG) fired 23 points and 4 assists (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) for the winners. His fellow American import forward Myke Henry (198-1992, college: DePaul) chipped in 15 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field). Libertadores' coach used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. The former international guard Luke Martinez (190-1990, college: Wyoming, agency: Pro Sports) produced 21 points and American forward Ryan Pearson (198-1990, college: GMU) added 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Five Libertadores and four Soles players scored in double figures. Libertadores have a solid series of three victories in a row. They maintain first place with 19-7 record. Loser Soles keep the sixth position with 18 games lost. Libertadores will meet league's second-placed Plateros in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Soles will play against the league's leader Abejas (#1) in Guanajuato and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Soles: L.Martinez 21+2reb+3ast, R.Pearson 15+5reb+4ast, D.Clark 15+2reb+5ast, A.Smith 10+1reb, V.Alvarez 6+3reb+4ast, J.Carter 5+2reb+1ast
Libertadores: T.Armstrong 23+2reb+4ast, M.Henry 15+2reb+1ast, B.Frazier 12+3reb+3ast, A.Holmes 11+4reb+2ast, J.Rodriguez 10+2reb+1ast, B.Boatwright 5+1reb+1ast

Astros - Halc.Xalapa 102-77

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 4th placed Halcones UV Xalapa's (15-11) road loss to third ranked Astros (17-9) 77-102 on Thursday. Astros shot the lights out from three sinking 12 long-distance shots on high 54.5 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Naturalized Argentinian point guard Cristian Cortes (185-1990) fired 11 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. American-Puerto Rican Javier Mojica (189-1984, college: CCSU) chipped in 14 points. Five Astros players scored in double figures. Puerto Rican point guard Alexander Abreu (179-1991, college: UWG) produced 12 points and American guard Shaquille Johnson (191-1990, college: Marshall) added 10 points (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) respectively for lost side. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains third place with 17-9 record having just two points less than leader Abejas which they share with defeated Halcones UV Xalapa. Loser Halcones UV Xalapa dropped to the third position with 11 games lost. They share it with Panteras. Astros will meet at home Mineros (#6) in the next round. Halcones UV Xalapa will play against Halcones Rojos in Veracruz and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Halc.Xalapa: A.Abreu 12+1reb+2ast, R.Delgado 11+2reb, D.Garrett 10+1reb+1ast, S.Johnson 10+2reb+3ast, J.Keenan 7+4reb+1ast, K.Meyer 7+2reb+3ast
Astros: J.Loveridge 14+2reb+2ast, J.Mojica 14+2reb+3ast, J.Anderson 12+5reb+1ast, C.Cortes 11+6reb+5ast, J.Ledbetter 11+2reb+4ast, B.De Bisschop 11+3reb

Panteras - Mineros 96-93

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourth ranked Panteras' (15-11) home victory over 5th ranked Mineros (11-15) 96-93 on Friday. Strangely Mineros outrebounded Panteras 45-26 including a 35-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. Americans were the main players on the court. Brian Conklin (201-1989, college: St.Louis) fired 20 points and 6 assists for the winners. Point guard Jaron Martin (178-1995, college: UC Irvine) chipped in 17 points and 4 assists. Forward Chris Perry (203-1994, college: LMU, agency: Pro Sports) produced a double-double by scoring 29 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists (on 14-of-17 shooting from the field) and guard Walter Lemon Jr (191-1992, college: Bradley) added 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Five Panteras and four Mineros players scored in double figures. Both coaches allowed to play bench players in such tough game. Panteras moved-up to third place, which they share with Halc.Xalapa. Loser Mineros keep the fifth position with 15 games lost. They share it with Halc.Rojos. Panteras will meet at home league's second-placed Fuerza Regia in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Mineros will play against Astros in Guadalajara and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Mineros: C.Perry 29+14reb+6ast, W.Lemon Jr. 22+7reb+4ast, S.Wiggs 11+8reb+3ast, F.Hassell 10+3reb+1ast, Z.Graham 8+1ast, D.Wright 8+3reb+1ast
Panteras: B.Conklin 20+4reb+6ast, J.Martin 17+1reb+4ast, T.Rolon 14+1reb+2ast, F.Jaimes 11+10reb+1ast, I.Alvarado 10+3reb+3ast, J.De Jesus 9+1reb+2ast

Halc.Rojos - Abejas 92-84

The most surprising game was a loss of top-ranked Abejas (18-8) in Veracruz on Saturday night. Visitors were defeated by fifth ranked Halcones Rojos (11-15) 92-84. Halcones Rojos had a 31-20 advantage in offensive rebounds. Bahamas forward Tavario Miller (203-1994, college: Texas A&M) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 27 points and 13 rebounds (made all of his seven free throws) for the winners and American guard Michael Henry (198-1995, college: Buffalo St., agency: Haylett Sports) chipped in 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Miller is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Four Halcones Rojos players scored in double figures. At the losing side American Markeith Cummings (198-1988, college: KSU) responded with 21 points and 5 rebounds and Argentinian forward Alexis Elsener (195-1988, agency: Interperformances) scored 12 points and 4 assists. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Halcones Rojos maintains fifth place with 11-15 record, which they share with Mineros. Abejas at the other side still keep top position with eight games lost. Halcones Rojos is looking forward to face higher ranked Halcones UV Xalapa (#4) at home in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Abejas will play against Soles and are hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Abejas: M.Cummings 21+5reb, A.Elsener 12+4reb+4ast, D.Cubillan 12+1reb+1ast, A.Kappos 10+1reb+2ast, J.Soto 8+2reb+5ast, C.Juan 7+4reb
Halc.Rojos: T.Miller 27+13reb+1ast, M.Henry 22+6reb+4ast, Q.Green 14+4reb+7ast, A.Villanueva 12+3reb+1ast, J.Davis 8+5reb+1ast, J.Felton 7+2reb+1ast

Panteras - Mineros 102-97

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 5th ranked Mineros' (11-15) road loss to fourth ranked Panteras (15-11) 97-102 on Saturday. Panteras made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. American Brian Conklin (201-1989, college: St.Louis) fired a double-double by scoring 25 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Puerto Rican forward Christian Negron (201-1998, college: GVSU) chipped in 24 points (perfect from the field making all ten shots !!!). American power forward Franklin Hassell (203-1988, college: ODU) produced a double-double by scoring 20 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) and the other American import forward Dion Wright (201-1993, college: St.Bonaventure) added 22 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. Five Panteras and four Mineros players scored in double figures. Both coaches allowed to play bench players in such tough game. Panteras moved-up to third place, which they share with Halc.Xalapa. Loser Mineros keep the fifth position with 15 games lost. They share it with Halc.Rojos. Panteras will meet at home league's second-placed Fuerza Regia in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Mineros will play against Astros in Guadalajara and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Mineros: D.Wright 22+8reb, F.Hassell 20+11reb+4ast, A.Luis 16+2reb+2ast, T.White 12+1reb+1ast, S.Wiggs 8+6ast, Z.Graham 7+2ast
Panteras: B.Conklin 25+10reb+2ast, C.Negron 24+4reb+3ast, J.De Jesus 13+4reb+3ast, T.Rolon 11+1reb+7ast, G.Ricks 11+3reb+1ast, J.Martin 5+7ast

Astros - Halc.Xalapa 89-78

The game between closely ranked teams ended with third ranked Astros' (17-9) home victory over 4th placed Halcones UV Xalapa (15-11) 89-78 on Friday. Astros looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists comparing to just 13 passes made by Halcones UV Xalapa's players. American forward Jordan Loveridge (198-1993, college: Utah) fired 29 points for the winners. His fellow American import point guard Jerime Anderson (188-1989, college: UCLA) chipped in 15 points. American forward Cameron Clark (201-1991, college: Oklahoma, agency: Slash Sports) produced 21 points and 9 rebounds and Puerto Rican point guard Alexander Abreu (179-1991, college: UWG) added 14 points and 5 assists respectively for lost side. Both coaches allowed to play bench players saving starting five for next games. Defending champion maintains third place with 17-9 record having just two points less than leader Abejas which they share with defeated Halcones UV Xalapa. Loser Halcones UV Xalapa dropped to the third position with 11 games lost. They share it with Panteras. Astros will meet at home Mineros (#6) in the next round. Halcones UV Xalapa will play against Halcones Rojos in Veracruz and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Halc.Xalapa: C.Clark 21+9reb, A.Abreu 14+2reb+5ast, K.Meyer 10+4reb+2ast, J.Israel-Gutierrez 7+2reb, J.Keenan 7+5reb+1ast, D.Garrett 7
Astros: J.Loveridge 29+1reb+3ast, J.Anderson 15+3reb+3ast, J.Ledbetter 10+4reb+6ast, J.Machado 7+4reb+3ast, C.Cortes 6+1reb+1ast, B.De Bisschop 6+6reb+1ast

Halc.Rojos - Abejas 100-107

There was no surprise in Veracruz where 5th ranked Halcones Rojos (11-15) were defeated by first ranked Abejas (18-8) 107-100 on Sunday. Abejas shot the lights out from three sinking 15 long-distance shots on high 53.6 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists. Naturalized Puerto Rican guard Joseph Soto (190-1993) fired a double-double by scoring 23 points and 12 assists for the winners. American Markeith Cummings (198-1988, college: KSU) chipped in 19 points and 8 rebounds. Bahamas forward Tavario Miller (203-1994, college: Texas A&M) produced a double-double by scoring 16 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) and American guard Michael Henry (198-1995, college: Buffalo St., agency: Haylett Sports) added 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists respectively for lost side. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Abejas maintains first place with 18-8 record. Loser Halcones Rojos keep the fifth position with 15 games lost. They share it with Mineros. Abejas will meet at home Soles (#6) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Halcones Rojos will play against Halcones UV Xalapa and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Halc.Rojos: Q.Green 21+1reb+3ast, M.Henry 19+5reb+4ast, T.Miller 16+10reb+5ast, I.Hamilton 15+4reb+4ast, A.Villanueva 11+3reb+3ast, J.Davis 10+1ast
Abejas: J.Soto 23+4reb+12ast, A.Elsener 20+7reb+2ast, M.Cummings 19+8reb+2ast, A.Kappos 11+1ast, W.Langston 11+3reb+2ast, C.Juan 6+2ast