Leading BSN semifinal series 2-1, Ponce seeks a win at home

Jezreel de Jesús led the way for Ponce with 22 points.

By The Star Staff

The Leones (Lions) of Ponce took a 2-1 lead in the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) Conference B finals on Wednesday night, defeating the Indios (Indians) of Mayagüez 74-68 at Germán Wilkins Vélez Ramírez Sports and Recreation Center in Mayagüez.

On Friday night at 8 p.m. at Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium, the Lions will look to do what neither team has accomplished as yet in the best-of-7 series -- register a win at home.

Ponce used strong defense and the offensive punch of Jezreel de Jesús, Brady Manek and Matt Mooney to notch the Game 3 win.

Mayagüez entered the final 10 minutes with a 49-46 lead, but de Jesús started things off in the 4th quarter by completing a 3-point play to tie the score at 49 with 9:25 left.

The Indians, as they had done previously, thwarted a run by the Lions and took another four-point lead, 53-49, on a basket by George Hamilton with 7:23 left. The Lions, however, broke through with an 8-0 run punctuated by three-pointers from Manek and Mooney, which gave Ponce a 59-55 lead with 4:13 left.

Sam Waardenburg from long range and Josué Erazo from the paint gave the Indians their last lead of the night, 64-63, with 2:08 left. A dunk by Mooney and a layup by Erazo left the score tied at 66 with 1:54 left.

The Lions finally seized control on a hook shot from Christian Negrón and a field goal from de Jesús, making it 71-66 with 30 seconds left.

De Jesús finished with 22 points, Manek, in his return, added 14 points with 15 rebounds, and Mooney scored 12 for Ponce. In a losing effort, Nick Perkins stood out with 24 points, while Hamilton and Waardenburg added 10 each for Mayagüez.

In the other BSN semifinal series (A), the Vaqueros (Cowboys) of Bayamón were looking to build on their 2-1 lead against the Crabbers (Cangrejeros) of Santurce on Thursday night at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in Hato Rey.