Obras Sanitarias Erase 19-Point Deficit to Stun Academy of Central Florida in Overtime

For the better part of 36 minutes, this had the shape of a routine group-phase result for Academy of Central Florida, who led by as many as 19 points with six minutes left in regulation and appeared to be cruising toward Buenos Aires' exit door untroubled. Obras Sanitarias had other ideas. By the time the final horn sounded in overtime, the hosts had completed one of the more improbable turnarounds of the group stage, winning 82-76 at Estadio Obras Sanitarias to erase a deficit that, with six minutes to play, looked entirely beyond saving.
The rally crystallised in a single stretch: from the 6:00 mark of the fourth quarter to 3:47 remaining in overtime, Obras outscored Academy of Central Florida 22-3, forcing Academy into 1-of-13 shooting across the span while committing not a single turnover of their own. The signature moment came with 14 seconds left in regulation, Luka Garcia rising for a three-pointer that tied the game at 68-68 and sent it to overtime - the culmination of a comeback that had, minutes earlier, looked like a lost cause at 68-49. Academy's own high point had arrived courtesy of a 12-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters, Alexy Figueroa (196-SG-2010) scoring 9 of those points on flawless shooting to turn a slender 46-45 edge into 58-45; it would prove to be their last word of consequence. Obras' biggest cushion of the night came in the extra period, a nine-point lead with 34 seconds left, enough of a margin to withstand a late Academy flurry and close out the win.
Elias Torrens (203-C-2008) was immense throughout, a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double rounded out by 2 steals and a block across 42:20, his 8-of-14 shooting from inside the arc underpinning Obras' interior presence in both regulation and overtime. Joaquin Celiz (195-G-2008) played all but a handful of seconds, finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in a game-high 45 minutes, while Garcia's 20 points and 5 assists, capped by the game-tying dagger, made him the obvious star of the final stretch. Santino Ripamonti (198-C-2008)'s all-around effort - 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals - yielded the team's best plus-14. Lilian Tchabo (203-F-2008) did what she could to keep Academy of Central Florida ahead, contributing 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals in 38:46, but could not prevent her side's lead evaporating in the final minutes.