Peñarol de Mar del Plata (19-16) beat Unión de Santa Fe (7-28) 95-86 tonight, in the only match that was played during the day, within the framework of the final stretch of the regular stage of the National Basketball League (LNB).
The team from Mar del Plata, led by DT Adrián Capelli, achieved a key victory to support their aspirations to enter the reclassification of the postseason.
On the contrary, the team from Santa Fe, led by Sebastián Puñet, added their seventh loss in a row and continues to be committed to the chance to play the play-out for permanence, together with San Lorenzo (7-29). Meanwhile, bottom club Athens (5-31) will play that series to avoid relegation. But the Greek aspires to finish in 19th place in the standings to have a home-field advantage in that series that will send the loser of that tie to relegation, which will be played in the best of five games.
Peñarol’s victory over Union
Peñarol showed frenetic efficiency in triple shots (9-9) during the first quarter, where they went up on the scoreboard 30-21.
Unión always rowed from behind and appealed to Haitian Jeantal Cylla’s aim (he finished with 17 points; 11 in the first quarter) to stay in the fight.
The good productions of the American Al Thornton (21 points and 2 rebounds in 18m.), of forward Tomás Monacchi (20 points and 4 rebounds in 35m.) allowed Milrayita to take the lead on the board and maintain a difference between 8 and 15 points, after the development of almost the entire game.
But every time the team from Santa Fe tried to get closer and, in fact, they did it in the last quarter, placing themselves six points behind, Thornton or the shooting guard José Defelippo (14 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals) appeared to extend the lead and guarantee the victory of the local.
Unión will play this Thursday at La Bombonerita against Boca Juniors and on Saturday, at 11:30, they will hold a key match against San Lorenzo, at the Roberto Pando gym. Then he will close his participation in a clash against Riachuelo de La Rioja, at the Angel Malvicino stadium.