Peñarol defeated Nacional 76-75 on the Unión Atlética court for the last date of the first round of the 2021-2022 Uruguayan League and achieved his first classic victory since his return to basketball.
The match was played only with fans of Nacional and under a large security operation.
Nacional, directed by Leonardo Zylbersztein, started with Manuel Romero, Pierino Rusch, Dominique Morrison, Quincy Miller and Johndre Jefferson.
Camilo Dos Santos
Alejandro Muro and Leo Zylbersztein
Peñarol, directed by Pablo López, opted for this initial quintet: Diego García, Martín Aguilera, Mike Rosario, Lee Roberts and Justin Flowers.
Camilo Dos Santos
Diego García protests to Vivian García
In the first quarter, Nacional played better with the double base that raised his DT, with Romero driving and Rusch looking for the outside shot.
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Pierino Rusch started the match well
With this joint action, the team concealed Morrison’s lack of a goal, well defended by Aguilera at the start.
A triple precisely from Rusch allowed the tricolor a maximum advantage of seven points on the scoreboard.
But the entry of Salvador Zanotta led to a reaction from the aurinegro to go down only three points on the scoreboard (21-18).
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Nicolás Borsellino fighting against Johndre Jefferson
Nacional got off to a better start in the second quarter and Peñarol was very erratic with Mike Rosario’s shots (0 of 5 in triples).
With Morrison scoring, the tricolor opened a 10-point lead (31-21).
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Dominique Morrison had 19 points
But once again the team was put on Zanotta’s shoulder to allow the aurinegro to go just one point down to the long break (41-40).
Justin Flowers, another key piece in the reaction, he was Peñarol’s top scorer with 14 points, the same as Nacional’s top scorer, Quincy Miller.
In the third quarter came the best of Peñarol who came to take up to 5 points of advantage (55-50) with a good shot from the outside in which his best shooter, Rosario, could never tune in.
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Mike Rosario shot for 42 points and only made 4
But Nacional quickly adjusted the marks and at the close, two three-pointers by Romero and Morrison gave them an advantage again (61-56) to enter the last quarter on top.
The match entered a climate of maximum tension with Evaristo González, president of Peñarol basketball, talking heatedly with the judges and with his bench.
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Pablo López gives directions to Zanotta
The humidity of the field became unbearable and player crashes became frequent.
One triple by Diego Garcia allowed Peñarol to take advantage again (70-69) with 4’30” to go.
From that moment on, the match was made so much so and both teams alternated up on the scoreboard.
Nerves also appeared at their peak to cause incredible losses on each side.
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Quincy Miller, one of those affected by the state of the field
Nacional seemed better armed to reach the end when Peñarol got tangled up in his last substitution: 26 seconds with a possession of 14”.
López put all the chips to Rosario to score. Nacional was up on the scoreboard 75-73.
But it was not Rosario who shot (he had missed his 10 triple attempts), but it was Flowers, modern center with a great game in front of the rim. The American made it dry (he made 6 of 11 triples for a memorable game). A spectacular triple.
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Justin Flowers marcando a Quincy Miller
Nacional, prey to desperation, went in search of victory. Moglia, who had not scored any points, played it. But he met a spectacular Lee Roberts.
The former Aguada forced him to a very forced shot and in the fortuitous taking of the rebound by Moglia himself he put a stopper to win the match.
Roberts had played a discreet game in attack with 9 points, missing even incredible doubles below the basket.
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Santiago Moglia well defended in the last ball
However, in the last ball demonstrated that hierarchy that only some chosen ones have to practice this sport: to become great the greater the challenge.
Peñarol thus won his first classic on his return to basketball. In the 2021 League, he lost from start to finish in Florida 85-67. But on his second chance, on a small field filled with Nacional fans, he won an incredible game.
Check out the match stats here.
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This is how each ball was fought
The match
First quarter: National 21-18
Second quarter: National 41-40
Third quarter: National 61-56
Final: Penarol 76-75
