Atenas Defeats Barrio Parque in Argentine Basketball League: A Game of High Stakes and Heart

Atenas got the better of it against Barrio Parque. The General Bustos neighborhood team had lost twice against Verde del Sur in the season, first during preparation and the second, with a tactical lesson (67-83), closing 2023. But this time, the team led by Gustavo Peirone, and in a packed Cerutti Sports Center, he won 90-82 to once again rule the Northern Conference of the Argentine Basketball League and keep high the hope of returning to the elite, to “his” place, to the National League.

The Córdoba duel in the promotion category was played with everything, mainly with the heart. There were nerves, anxiety and also physical play. And moments of good basketball.

Atenas and Barrio Parque, in a duel for the Argentine League at the Cerutti Sports Center. (Javier Ferreyra / The Voice)

For Athens it was the second consecutive victory of the year (in the same number of games) and it reached 13 wins against three losses in the campaign; Barrio Parque suffered the second defeat in a row (also in two games) in 2024 and cannot overcome irregularity (8 wins and 8 losses).

The two people from Córdoba will go to Salta to close January in the Argentine League: “Negro” Peirone’s team will play on the 29th against the “Infernales”, Esteban Pierdominici’s team will do so two nights later.

How could it be otherwise, the closing was tight, played with clenched teeth and in the end, after much fighting, Athens celebrated.

The Atenas vs Barrio Parque match

Both teams failed a lot at the start of the game. Grief weighs and has a lot of importance. In five minutes of the first quarter, they barely tied 5-5, with Atenas scoring just 2/8 in shots from the field and Barrio Parque 2/7.

The General Bustos neighborhood team sought to attack in a “rushing manner,” while the Verde del Sur team sought dynamics. Ledesma, their scorer, came out on top and the visitors took a 4-point lead (13-9) with 3 minutes left.

Peirone’s team stood firm at the back and Nicolas Zurschmitten led the quick reaction. Athens went on a 10-0 run and took over the score 19-13. Ledesma (10 points in the quarter) was Parque’s response, but José Montero lit up with a double and two triples in a row and the Green took the first quarter 27-16.

The host team, confident in their game, flowed, and stretched the difference to 17: 39-22 at 4’20 of the second chapter. The Greek got the triples and it seemed like he was taking over the game. Until the Barrio Parque zone mark filled him with doubts. Atenas, which is the worst three-point shooter in the competition, had no other response than three-point shots against the visiting defense, and failed.

Park took advantage of his moment. He went 17-3 in almost 5 minutes and got fully into the duel. The “giant” Joaquín Lallana gave him a big hand on both boards and Pierdominici’s team narrowed 39-42.

With a free throw, Matías Stanic ended the long drought for Atenas, which went into halftime winning just 45-41.

Atenas led by 17 in the second quarter (39-22) but Parque returned to the game with a zone defense. He scored a run of 17-3 and narrowed the entire margin
Athens wins 45-41

Nico Z 12pts
Montero 13pts

Ledesma 12pts
Lallana 6pts pic.twitter.com/TBfKaLzoCB

— Marcelo Chaijale (@mchaijale) January 26, 2024

In the third segment, the development was even more even and fighting, each with their weapons. Montero, with his ability, opened Parque’s defense and Lucas Arn took advantage of it with spaces in the paint to score and Atenas stretched the lead to 67-53.

Until captain Lautaro Rivata appeared on the visit with two triples to close the third quarter 67-59.

And the last one was played with the heart. Barrio Parque gave everything, but Atenas with its individual hierarchy was left with the victory

The match sheet

2024-01-26 01:57:52
#Atenas #removed #thorn #beat #Barrio #Parque #regained #lead #Argentine #League