Ameghino de Villa María was left without promotion to the National League: Zárate shouted champion

could not be for Ameghino from Villa Maria. El León had a party at its biggest in the National Basketball League, the highest category of Argentine basketball, but it did not reach that group of warriors commanded by coach Pablo Castro.

The Villa María club closed a spectacular season without the biggest prize, without shouting champion or managing to climb to the elite. He did everything. Like it was never so close.

Ameghino closed an exciting, tough, changing, fought series. He did it with a defeat in a full Sports Hall against Zárate Basket, by 82-65. He was down 2-3 in a key that had everything, as are the true finals.

Ameghino was there to sit at the table of the greats, together with Instituto and Independiente de Oliva in the National League, from dream to reality he was barely separated by the painful fall at home. The people said goodbye to their players standing up and with an ovation, who left everything on the field.

For Zárate, who lost the final against Independiente de Oliva last year, he was given the title and promotion, supported by the experience of Pineda and Chaine and the play of Brocal.

The match report

As expected and as it happened in the other matches, it was very even, pure dedication. Ameghino started nervously, anxiously, before a more poised Zárate. The visit looked for Lungo Chaine near the basket to score and share the game, and went ahead 8-5 in 3 minutes.

Zárate controlled the rebounds on both sides to continue leading, 14-10, 2′ from the end.

Until Ameghino’s defense appeared, which cut off circulation, and thanks to Lezcano’s speed, he was left with the initial chapter by 19-18.

With the “long” Brazilian Franca on the field generating a lot of attention, León found spaces outside, and with a triple by Martínez he extended the difference to 26-20 in 1’10.

The defenses began to win on both sides. Zárate reduced it to 1 (27-28) with a triple by Pineda, and León made a difference with Franca below the hoop (31-27).

The visit became strong in defense and Ameghino had a hard time shooting. The team from Buenos Aires, with a couple of cons, took the lead 34-33 with two minutes to play.

The locals reacted quickly, after a timeout, and won the first half 38-37.

The complement

Ameghino returned “asleep” and Zárate made him pay with a 12-0 run in 2’45 minutes to take possession of the score by 49-38.

El León only scored from the free throw line in the first 5 minutes of the third quarter, and the visit extended the advantage to 16: 58-42.

With more drive than play, Ameghino slowed down, a bit, the comfortable walk of Zárate, who was left with the segment by 63-51.

He maintained firmness and security in his game on the visit and extended the difference to 17: 70-53 in three minutes of the last segment.

Ameghino, fighting from behind, with the rush of the clock, and the push of his people, sought to reduce. But he always found the fair answer from Zárate, who with 2 minutes to go, made a difference of 20: 80-60.

It was enough for him to take care of the great advantage to get comfortable at the end and shout champion.

the previous

The final series, how could it be otherwise, was very even. Ameghino lost the first game at home by 109-94, and won, also at home, by 91-78, while Zárate triumphed in the third game of the key, the first at home, by 82-79 in extra time. In the fourth duel, after drawing a difference of 15 from the Buenos Aires team, León recovered to win 79-75.

Both teams reach the fifth match to play all or nothing. Ameghino has low percentages in free throws, with 57.1 percent (48/84), while he scores 57.6% in doubles (98/170) and 37 in triples (33/89). Zárate for his part, converts 84.2 percent in freestyles (64/76), 57.2% in doubles (71/124) and 35% in triples (46/131). In the series opener, Zárate was 20 of 37 on three-point shots.

Juan Abeiro is Ameghino’s top scorer in the series, with 21.5 points, seconded by Emiliano Lezcano with 17.5, while Abel Aristimuño collaborates with 13 goals. In Zárate, Agustín Brocal is their scorer and the best in the series, with 22.5 points, followed by Damián Pineda with 15.2 and César Chaine with 12.2 goals.

“In Villa María it will be very hard, as were the first two games. They are a great team, they play very well, but we have to do the job we did with Pineda and Brocal. The key is there. That if they win, that those who we want win it, ”said Abeiro, the scorer for León,