Waters’ 3-pointer in closing seconds lifts Gigantes over Criollos.

With just 2.9 seconds remaining, Carolina’s Tremont Waters connected on a three-pointer from long range.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Gigantes of Carolina, Capitanes of Arecibo and Vaqueros of Bayamón were victorious in National Superior National Basketball (BSN by its initials in Spanish) on games Saturday night.

In Canóvanas, the Gigantes prevailed 103-101 over the Criollos of Caguas, with the outcome decided in the final seconds on a three-pointer by Tremont Waters.

The Gigantes set the pace early, closing the first quarter ahead 26-20; however, Caguas went on a 28-10 run in the second period to take control of the game and head into halftime with a 48-36 lead.

The Criollos held the edge after the break, entering the final quarter with a 76-66 advantage. Nevertheless, the Gigantes -- led by Jaylen Nowell -- began to chip away at the deficit, setting the stage for a high-tension finish.

With time winding down in the fourth quarter, the Gigantes completed their dramatic comeback and, following multiple lead changes, the game reached its final seconds with Caguas holding a one-point lead.

With the ball in their hands and the clock winding down, the Gigantes executed a play following a timeout called by their head coach. With just 2.9 seconds remaining, Waters confidently sank a long-range three-pointer that put the home team ahead, 103-101.

The Criollos held the final possession but failed to convert.

Nowell led the offensive charge for Carolina (5-3) with 38 points, while Waters contributed 22 points and 7 assists.

Travis Trice had 22 points and 10 assists for the Criollos (6-3), while Louis King added 22 points and 7 rebounds and Moses Brown finished with 21 points.

In Aguada, the Capitanes defeated the host Santeros 95-90 in a hard-fought game that was decided in the final minutes as Arecibo won its fifth straight. With the result, the two teams split the season series, with Arecibo improving to 8-2 and Aguada dropping to 6-3.

The game remained tight from the start, including a 52-52 tie at halftime. In the second half, both teams traded the lead multiple times going into the final minutes.

With just over a minute left to play, the Capitanes took back the lead for good and locked down on defense to seal the outcome.

Ramses Meléndez led Arecibo with 20 points and 8 rebounds, while Timothy Soares contributed 18 points.

For the Santeros, Iván Gandía was the top performer with 19 points.

In Bayamón, the Vaqueros defeated the Osos of Manatí 98-91 in a game that began with high intensity before the home team took control in the second half. Bayamón won its third-straight game and improved to 7-4.

The contest kicked off at a frenetic pace, featuring 21 lead changes in the first quarter alone. The Vaqueros finished the first half strong and went into halftime with a 49-40 lead.

In the second half, Bayamón imposed its style of play and held on to the lead, securing the victory through superior execution in the final minutes.

Collectively, the Vaqueros dominated the paint with 48 points and received 54 points from their bench. Jaylin Galloway led the way with 25 points off the bench, while Xavier Cooks (14 points) and Stephen Thompson (13 points and 8 assists) contributed on both ends of the court.

Chris Ortiz led the Osos (4-6) with 21 points.