Aguada defeats Leones for 2-1 lead in BSN Conference B Finals

Iván Gandía’s 16 points, including three 3-pointers, helped lead the Santeros of Aguada to a 100-89 victory over the Leones of Ponce in Game 3 of the BSN Conference B Finals on Wednesday night. Aguada leads the series 2-1.

By THE STAR STAFF

Joel Soriano scored 32 points to lead the Santeros of Aguada to a 100-89 win over the Leones of Ponce on Wednesday night at Ismael “Chavalillo” Delgado Coliseum in Aguada in Game 3 of the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) Conference B Finals.

With the victory, Aguada took a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series.

After an evenly played first quarter, the hosts began to pull away in the second, capitalizing on Iván Gandía’s perimeter shooting and Rigoberto Mendoza’s play in the paint to take an eight-point lead (52-44) into the intermission.

Aguada ended the third period leading 73-66, maintaining a cushion that Ponce could never overcome. Although Tjader Fernández (17 points) tried to keep Ponce’s hopes alive in the final frame, Mendoza and Soriano had the answers, including an alley-oop from Soriano to Mendoza for a dunk with 4:33 remaining, as the Santeros pulled away late with free throws from Soriano sealing the victory.

Soriano got support on offense from Mendoza, who scored 18 points and made an impact from the perimeter, and Gandía, who added 16 points.

Jezreel de Jesús and Jalen Crutcher (who left the game with an apparent injury) contributed 16 points each for Ponce, while Thomas Robinson and Brady Manek each added 11 points.