Aguada defeated Nacional and eliminated it for the fourth time in the last five Leagues

Aguada started the key against Nacional with sport advantage for having finished in the best position in the regular phase. The water carrier was eighth and the tricolor ninth.

To that advantage he added an initial 93-72 victory that seemed to put the series on track with ease.

However, Nacional reacted and managed to win the next two matches by 84-61 and 85-80 to force the fifth and final match.

This Tuesday, the water carrier closed the series with an ostensible improvement in defense, with a spectacular game by the Slovenian Martin Krampelj and with a 15-point advantage that does not reflect how tight the process was until 5 minutes were missing.

This It is the fourth time in the last five leagues that Aguada has eliminated Nacional in a match. The first three were in the playoffs in semifinal instances, in 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. All the series were defined in the fifth game with 3-2 victories for Aguada. In the 2020-2021 League, one of the games was not played due to violations of the sanitary protocol by Nacional that determined that it lost the point. In the 2021 League, Aguada was eliminated in the play-in by Capitol and Nacional reached the final where they lost to Biguá.

Aguada, directed by the Argentine Nicolás Casalánguida, started with Federico Bavosi, Leandro García Morales, the Argentine Marcos Mata, Mathías Calfani and the Slovenian Martin Krampelj.

Nicholas Casalanguida

Nacional, led by Miguel Volcan, had Manuel Romero, Mauro Zubiaurre, Dominique Morrison, Quincy Miller and Johndre Jefferson as its starting lineup.

Leonardo Carreno

Michael Volcan

First quarter

At 17 seconds into the match Calfani was injured turning on the key marked by Morrison. The power forward accused a serious right knee pain for which he had to withdraw to the locker room area. He did not return and will not return to the court and on Wednesday he will undergo tests to find out the magnitude of the injury.

Leonardo Carreno

Mathías Calfani’s injury

The man from Artiguense, Aguada’s star signing for the season, suffered a tear during the regular phase that he later suffered when he returned, missing a total of seven games.

Shaken by Calfani’s injury, Aguada did not play well at the start of the game and Nacional managed to impose its defensive forms with the actions of Romero and Zubiaurre, plus offensive sparks from Miller, who contributed well under the boards, and Morrison.

Leonardo Carreno

Mauro Zubiaurre

The tricolor went three points up (14-11) after holding a maximum advantage of six units (11-5 and 14-8).

Second bedroom

Aguada reacted from the hand of Tyreek Duren and Krampelj being the forward Mata the most regular of the team at the end of the first half.

Duren brought 9 points off the bench, the Slovenian added 10 points and 8 rebounds while the Argentine went into the long break with 8 points.

Leonardo Carreno

Tyreek Duren changed Aguada’s face

Aguada managed to get a maximum of 6 (21-16) after an overwhelming partial of 10-2, Federico Pereiras defended Morrison well who was charged with three fouls and that advantage was maintained until the end of the quarter: 32-26.

Third quarter

Aguada started the third quarter at full speed, getting a maximum advantage of 10 points: 69-59.

But from a Volcan time order, the party gained in intensity and voltage leaving behind the poor image that both left in the first quarter.

The final four minutes of the quarter were hellish.

Leonardo Carreno

Federico Bavosi tray

Bavosi took center stage in attack scoring six important points. Krampelj put an intimidating cover on Miller and continued to add on offense.

But Romero put Nacional on his shoulder adding to his usual tough defense hot spots and good reading of the game.

Very marked, Morrison also activated Jefferson in attack, which grew a lot in the second half.

Last room

Aguada again came out better in the fourth quarter and quickly opened up an 8-point lead.

But Nacional quickly adjusted and got into the game. He slowly closed the gap and came within two points after free kicks from Zubiaurre.

Aguada closed the hoop completely abusing the shot of three.

With less than 5 minutes to play, the outcome was uncertain until Krampelj hit a 3-pointer to show how complete he is as a player.

The Slovenian made blocks, bounced the ball and moved it until hitting Miller, he dropped a whopping 17 rebounds (all on defense), made a couple of spectacular dunks and got to add 25 points with 2 of 5 in triples.

Leonardo Carreno

Sinking of Slovenian Martin Krampelj

To that triple, two penetrations by Duren were added at the speed of light to finish breaking Nacional.

Leonardo Carreno

Tyreek Duren changed Aguada’s face

García Morales played a weak game in attack: he missed all of his 5 field goals, but he collaborated with 4 valuable assists and gave a hand in defense.

And it was there in defense where the water carrier ended up winning the game. He lowered 20 of those he had been tolerating from Nacional. Krampelj was a lion on the rebound, Izaguirre raised the tone to fight Miller, Pereiras managed to contain Morrison for several stretches and the team managed to hide the absence of Calfani.

Now, starting Friday, he’ll play Goes in a best-of-five game for a spot in the semifinals.

Leonardo Carreno

The fans of Aguada, pure passion

The match

First quarter: National 14-11
Second quarter: Aguada 32-26
Third quarter: Aguada 59-55
Ending: Wait 80-65

The series

Aguada started 1-0 with a sporting advantage
1st match: Aguada 93-72
2nd match: National 84-61
3rd match: National 85-80
4th match: Aguada 80-65

The playoffs (best of five)

Urupan-Trouville (starts on Thursday, at 7:15 p.m. at Palacio Peñarol)
Biguá-Olimpia (starts on Thursday, at 9:15 p.m. at Palacio Peñarol)
Peñarol-Malvín (starts on Friday, at 7:15 p.m. in Larre Borges)
Goes-Aguada (starts on Friday, at 9:30 p.m. at Palacio Peñarol)