El Pincha, with a decimated team, fell from home 78-75 to the Mar del Plata and missed the opportunity to secure a place in the Play-Offs.
Estudiantes lost a great chance to be in the Play-Offs in the absence of a date (for the redheads) to finish the regular phase of the Buenos Aires Division of the Federal Basketball Tournament. In UNO the Pincha fell, and left behind a streak of six victories in a row, with Unión de Mar del Plata 78-75 and now he must play everything for the whole next 23 when he visits no less than the best cast of the competition: Parchment.
It was not an easy game for Estudiantes. He faced it with a team without two key players, such as Guillermo López and Juan Pedro Mazza (both injured) and his coach Mauricio López was not there because he was in close contact with a person who contracted COVID-19. Faced with all these difficulties, the team was within a shot and within a shot of winning the victory. Bad fortune, a foul not sanctioned by the judges (foul on Sartorelli who after this action was expelled from the game) deprived him of ensuring victory or minimally forcing the extension after the last three-point shot Vallejos did not “hit the mark “and the Mar del Plata sealed victory from the line.
Everything was controlled by Students until the last quarter. The Sartorelli-Pagella pair did their thing and found in Yarza (he was the scorer with 29 points) the key to overcome a defense from Mar del Plata that closed well under his basket and gave the red-haired shooters some freedom. The problem was that many times those balls that were well taken did not enter the ring and thus Union slowly increased his game with Bualó and Lofrano (14 points) who from the bench gave solutions to the team.
The balance tipped to the side of those from Mar del Plata at the beginning of the last chapter. After staying 61-55 up, Estudiantes began to feel the wear, the short squad and at 7.14 the game was already tied at 65. From here to the end everything was done from goal to goal, the external shots in Estudiantes could not achieve the break and Piñeiro first and then Baulo from a long dimension gave a small advantage to the visit. Juani Bruno in a coast to coast failed to score to put the match back in a draw, then with 18 seconds Vallejos did not convert either and this decreed the 78-75 victory for Unión.
Now Estudiantes has one more shot to hit the mark. Must play Visitor Scroll. The Parchmentians are already in the next phase and they can secure the 1 of the zone prior to the match where the redheads will play their pass to the Play-Off.
Synthesis
Student (75): Sartorelli 14, Pagella 13, Yarza 29, Castro 3, Bruno 3 (FI); Vallejos 9, García Barucco 1, Fabris 0. Coach: Marcos Emilio.
Union of Mar del Plata (78): Burgos 3, Bualó 25, Piñero 16, Varas, Cerone 7 (FI); Bellozas 7, Lofrano 14, Gómez Colloca, Haag 6. Coach: Ezequiel Medina.
Partial: 25-17, (10-13) 35-30; (24-25) 59-55, (16-23) 75-78.
Gym: Sports Center Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium.
Shooting percentages:
Students: from 2 points: 53%, from 3 points 53%, from free throws: 71%.
Union of Mar del Plata: 2 points: 50%, 3 points: 46%, free throws: 60%.
Source: Students of La Plata Press.
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