Capitanes & Indios notch wins in BSN.

Ramses Meléndez (22) led all scorers with 22 points off the bench in Arecibo’s win over Ponce.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Capitanes of Arecibo and the Indios of Mayagüez were the victors in a pair of National Superior Basketball League (BSN by its initials in Spanish) games on Wednesday night.

At Manuel “Pataca” Iguina Coliseum in Arecibo, the Capitanes defeated the Leones of Ponce 101-82 in a matchup that held little suspense. The Capitanes quickly took control and maintained the lead for 37 minutes and two seconds, ceding the advantage for a mere 65 seconds throughout the entire game. The seven lead changes occurred primarily in the opening stages, and Arecibo’s largest lead reached 20 points.

Collectively, the Capitanes (5-2) prevailed on the boards 46-38, scored 46 points in the paint, and generated 17 points on the fast break. The bench contribution was one of the key factors in the victory, with 45 points coming from the reserves compared to just 18 from Ponce’s substitutes.

Ramses Meléndez spearheaded the Capitanes’ offense with 22 points off the bench, finishing as the night’s top scorer. Thomas Robinson dominated the glass, recording a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Derrick Walton orchestrated the attack with 16 points and 9 assists. Jack McVeigh added another 16 points to round out the home team’s offense.

For the Leones (2-5), Jordan Murphy scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double of his own. Terence Davis tallied 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Jezreel de Jesús chipped in 14 points.

At the Palacio de Recreacion y Deportes in Mayagüez, meanwhile, the Indios defeated the Piratas of Quebradillas 103-80 in another contest that saw the home team seize control before halftime.

Early in the game, the winless Piratas stayed in contention thanks to their efficiency on two-point shots and 29 points scored on fast breaks. However, the Indios managed to solidify their control, holding the lead for over 33 and a half minutes and building a maximum advantage of 25 points.

Sam Waardenburg led the Indios (2-4) with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Tjader Fernández added 18 points and 4 assists, while Olumiye Oni recorded a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Coming off the bench, Josué Erazo contributed 14 points in 20 minutes of play, and Devon Jefferson finished with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Kendall Munson finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds for the Piratas (0-6).