Leones de Ponce wins consecutive BSN title

Leones de Ponce defended its position as the best team in the Puerto Rico BSN by defeating Capitanes de Arecibo for the title. A 70-67 victory in Ponce was enough to hand Leones a 4-2 series win and its second consecutive BSN success. The franchise also put its name in the record books, picking up its 14th Puerto Rico championship overall, tying with Bayamon and San German as the winningest club in history.

The winners gave themselves plenty of second chance opportunities and grabbed 15 rebounds off the glass at the offensive end, while Arecibo only managed 7. The first quarter was tight as the lead changed hands and buckets were traded. At the buzzer Capitanes had taken a slight 18-19 lead and Leones de Ponce trailed. The hosts found a good rhythm at both end of the hardwood in the second frame to put together a 22-14 run that made it 40-33 at halftime. Arecibo hit back during the third act, winning the period 15-20 to make it a close game through at the last break, 55-53. Ponce managed to hold strong in a tight fourth stanza and even extended by a single point late on to hold out for the win.

Adrian Uter grabbed another double-double this finals series as he hit 16 points and pulled 10 off the glass. He was followed by Daniel Angelo Vassallo and Mike Harris with 13 points, with Harris recording his own double-double thanks to his 10 boards.

Renaldo Balkman paced Arecibo with a game high 20 points, while 10 rebounds gave him a double-double. Guillermo Diaz notched 16 in the loss and Walter Hodge added 12 points.