Nacional, one of the great candidates to conquer the Uruguayan Basketball League, stomped at the start of the playoffs by beating Defensor Sporting with authority 95-81.
Leonardo Carreño
Souberbielle contributed 4 goals in 9 minutes
Esteban Batista made his debut in Nacional, who returned to the club (he already played the Metropolitano 2004 and the Uruguayan League 2018-2019) as a replacement token for Jonathan Sacco, after being authorized by the Court of Appeals of the Uruguayan Basketball Federation.
Defensor Sporting, who had just eliminated vice-champion Trouville in the play-in, was more in the first half and went up with a nine-point advantage (50-41).
Álvaro Tiro’s team clearly dominated the rebound (21-12), an area in which Josh Boone and Facundo Giorgi stood out with six each.
Leonardo Carreño
Marcos Cabot, the most even in Defensor Sporting
Boone was the first period scorer with 17 points. Marcos Cabot led the assists with four, as did Gonzalo Álvarez.
In Nacional the scorer was Dominique Morrison with 10 while Batista contributed 4 goals and 3 rebounds.
However, the game took a radical turn at the beginning of the third quarter where Nacional quickly shortened the gap and went on to command on the scoreboard.
Much had to do with the performance in defense of Manuel Romero. He stole three balls, gave two assists, had three rebounds and made three decisive triples for a total of 13 points.
Leonardo Carreño
Manuel Romero, outstanding figure
Morrison finished as the game’s top scorer with 25 points and also had nine rebounds.
Devon Collier appeared in all his glory in the second half with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Leonardo Carreño
Devon Collier, 18 tantos
The other one who performed very well, and it is nothing new, was Charles Mitchell with 16 points, 7 sacks and 7 assists.
Leonardo Carreño
Charles Mitchell blocks Erick Flor’s way
Batista played within what will be Leonardo Zylbersztein’s plan: 17 minutes in which he ended up contributing 10 points and 7 rebounds.
Leonardo Carreño
Esteban Batista entered the rotation of Nacional
In Defensor Sporting Boone was left without a goal (only 5 in the last 20 ‘), Marcos Cabot finished with 21 and the Argentines Erick Flor and Facundo Fiorgi 14 each.
Leonardo Carreño
Erick Flor scored 14 points
The match
First quarter: Defensor Sporting 24-21
Second quarter: Defensor Sporting 50-41
Third quarter: National 66-63
Final: National 95-81
See the full match statistics.
In the second hour another of the candidates plays, Olimpia, the number 1 of the regular phase and the great revelation, Capitol, who has just eliminated the two-time champion Aguada in the play-in.
I followed the game statistics here.
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