By The Star Staff
The Ponce Lions defeated the visiting Mayagüez Indians 86-81 earlier this week at Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium.
Wednesday night’s meeting decided who would secure fourth place in Section A of the National Superior Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish), and who would see their season come to an end.
Despite the home team’s 13-2 start with the starting five sharing the scoring, a similar 13-2 run by the visitors tied the score at 27 in the second quarter. Ponce led by five at halftime, but “Georgie” Pacheco (21 points, five rebounds and four assists) was responsible for the Indians’ first 11 points (eight points, one assist) to lead a 9-2 run early in the third quarter that put the hosts down by two, as Mayagüez took its first lead of the game with two baskets by Michael Young Jr. (16 points) to make it 57-56.
The lead shifted again, however, and a buzzer beater by Rawle Atkins late in the quarter put the Lions up, 67-63. Seven more points from Atkins in the fourth quarter extended the lead by 10. Mayagüez sank a pair of 3-pointers in the last two minutes and a basket from Pacheco pulled the visitors to within two points, 80-78, with 34.9 seconds left. But Jordan Bell scored on Ponce’s next possession to secure the win and fourth place in the Section A standings.
To officially qualify for the postseason, the Lions will have to win another sudden death game, on Friday at the “Pachín” against the Santurce Crabbers (18-16, fourth place in Section B) in the challenge game, with the winner going to a seven-game series against the Guaynabo Mets.
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