Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings

The Regular Season in Liga Betclic is slowly approaching the end. But there may be still some important changes in the final standings in the last 3 rounds. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Leader Benfica delivered the eighteenth win on Saturday night. This time they beat 6th ranked Galitos-Barreiro (9-10) 95-90. Benfica looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. American Trey Drechsel (198-1996, college: GCU) fired 16 points and 7 assists for the winners. The former international point guard Diogo Gameiro (181-1995) chipped in 13 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Benfica’s coach Norberto Alves used an eleven-player rotation in such tough game. American power forward Rog Stein (201-1999, college: Indiana Tech, agency: Promo Sport ID) produced 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists for lost side. Benfica have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending champion maintains first place with 18-1 record. Newly promoted Galitos-Barreiro keeps the sixth position with ten games lost. They share it with Imortal. Benfica are looking forward to face Povoa (#10) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Galitos-Barreiro will play against Oliveirense (#4) in Oliveira and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
We should mention about the upset which took place in Povoa, where 8th ranked Vitoria SC (8-11) lost to eleventh ranked Povoa (5-14) in a road game 71-81. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Vitoria SC. Worth to mention a great performance of French point guard Renathan Embo (195-1998, college: Tulane) who helped to win the game recording 18 points. Scott Suggs contributed with 19 points for the winners. American guard Zahir Porter (198-2000, college: Weber St.) answered with 26 points and 5 rebounds (made all of his nine free throws !!!) for Vitoria SC. Vitoria SC’s coach Miguel Miranda rotated ten players in this game, but that didn’t help. Povoa moved-up to tenth place. Vitoria SC at the other side keeps the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Esgueira. Povoa will play against league’s leader Benfica in Lisbon in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Vitoria SC will play at home against Sporting (#3) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Esgueira. Local Esgueira (8-11) lost to second ranked FC Porto (16-3) 96-81 on Saturday night. Worth to mention a quality performance of Xeyrius Williams who helped to win the game recording 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. FC Porto’s coach Fernando Sa allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the losing side Ty Toney responded with 22 points and 6 rebounds. FC Porto maintains second place with 16-3 record having just two points less than leader Benfica. Loser Esgueira dropped to the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Vitoria SC. FC Porto will meet at home Queluz (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Esgueira will play against Galomar and hope to secure a win.

Other games of round 19 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Sporting defeated Galomar in Lisbon 94-82. Ovarense was beaten by Oliveirense at home 87-92. Imortal won against Queluz on the opponent’s court 79-72.
The best stats of 19th round was 16 points and 5 rebounds by Malik Bowman of Imortal.

Galomar – Sporting 82-94

There was no surprise when 12th ranked Galomar (2-17) was defeated at home by third ranked Sporting (13-6) 94-82 on Saturday. It was a great evening for American power forward Nick Ward (205-1997, college: Michigan St., agency: Diamond Sports) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 18 points and 13 rebounds. His fellow American import point guard Anthony Barber (188-1994, college: NC State) helped adding 22 points. Sporting’s coach Luis Magalhaes allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the losing side American center Michael Durr (213-1998, college: UCF) responded with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 10 rebounds and the former international forward Nuno Sa (200-1997, agency: Promo Sport ID) scored 14 points and 7 rebounds. Four Sporting and five Galomar players scored in double figures. Sporting maintains third place with 13-6 record having five points less than leader Benfica. Galomar lost tenth consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with 17 games lost. Sporting will meet Vitoria SC (#8) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Galomar will play against Esgueira (#9) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Galomar: S.Davis Jr. 14+1reb, M.Harden-Hayes 14+3reb, M.Drumwright 14+2reb+4ast, N.Sa 14+7reb+2ast, M.Durr 14+10reb, J.Kennedy 6+3reb+1ast
Sporting: A.Barber 22+2reb+3ast, N.Ward 18+13reb+1ast, S.Silva 14+1reb, T.Guers 13+1reb+3ast, U.Razaque 8+2reb+1ast, K.Kennedy 7+6reb+1ast

gschID: 1193075

Esgueira – FC Porto 81-96

The game with biggest result difference took place in Esgueira. Local Esgueira (8-11) lost to second ranked FC Porto (16-3) 96-81 on Saturday night. FC Porto outrebounded Esgueira 42-29 including a 31-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. FC Porto looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. Worth to mention a quality performance of American Xeyrius Williams (206-1997, college: Akron, agency: Players Group) who helped to win the game recording 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. His fellow American import point guard Toney Douglas (189-1986, college: FSU) helped adding 13 points and 5 assists. FC Porto’s coach Fernando Sa allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. At the losing side American guard Ty Toney (190-1994, college: EMU) responded with 22 points and 6 rebounds and point guard Miguel Monteiro (177-2003, agency: Promo Sport ID) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 assists. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. FC Porto maintains second place with 16-3 record having just two points less than leader Benfica. Loser Esgueira dropped to the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Vitoria SC. FC Porto will meet at home Queluz (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Esgueira will play against Galomar and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Esgueira: T.Toney 22+6reb+2ast, E.Shepherd 16+5reb, M.Monteiro 15+2reb+10ast, D.Tillman 11+5reb+2ast, B.Alston 10+5reb+1ast, M.Diggins 3+6reb
FC Porto: X.Williams 25+8reb+5ast, D.Marble 14+3reb+3ast, P.Fayne II 14+6reb+1ast, T.Douglas 13+4reb+5ast, M.Landis 11+2reb+5ast, G.Delgado 10+4reb+1ast

gschID: 1193076

Ovarense – Oliveirense 87-92

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams when fifth ranked Oliveirense (11-8) defeated on the road 4th placed Ovarense (11-8) 92-87 on Saturday. Oliveirense made 38-of-46 free shots (82.6 percent) during the game. It was a great evening for American forward Danjel Purifoy (201-1995, college: Auburn, agency: Helping Ballers) who led his team to a victory scoring 27 points and 6 rebounds. His fellow American import forward Onno Steger (196-1998, college: WCU) helped adding 20 points. At the losing side American Daniel Oladapo (203-2000, college: NCCU) responded with 17 points and 9 rebounds and guard Gustavo Teixeira (185-2000) scored 16 points and 8 assists. Four Ovarense players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Oliveirense moved-up to fourth place, which they share with defeated Ovarense. Oliveirense will meet at home Galitos-Barreiro (#7) in the next round. Ovarense will play against Imortal in Albufeira and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Ovarense: A.Woods 17+1reb+6ast, D.Oladapo 17+9reb, G.Teixeira 16+1reb+8ast, D.Blaylock 12+5reb+1ast, L.Rahama 8+4reb, J.Silva 8+7reb+1ast
Oliveirense: D.Purifoy 27+6reb+2ast, O.Steger 20+3reb, D.Hawkins 11+3reb, M.Morgan 9+7reb+1ast, J.Fernandes 8+5reb+5ast, C.Cardoso 7+3reb+5ast

gschID: 1193077

Povoa – Vitoria SC 81-71

We should mention about the upset which took place in Povoa, where 8th ranked Vitoria SC (8-11) lost to eleventh ranked Povoa (5-14) in a road game 71-81. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Vitoria SC. Povoa dominated down low during the game scoring 46 of its points in the paint compared to Vitoria SC‘s 26. Worth to mention a great performance of French point guard Renathan Embo (195-1998, college: Tulane) who helped to win the game recording 18 points. American swingman Scott Suggs (197-1989, college: Washington) contributed with 19 points for the winners. Five Povoa players scored in double figures. American guard Zahir Porter (198-2000, college: Weber St.) answered with 26 points and 5 rebounds (made all of his nine free throws !!!) and the other American import center Trey Moses (208-1997, college: Ball St., agency: One Motive Sports) added 11 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists in the effort for Vitoria SC. Vitoria SC’s coach Miguel Miranda rotated ten players in this game, but that didn’t help. Povoa moved-up to tenth place. Vitoria SC at the other side keeps the eighth position with 11 games lost. They share it with Esgueira. Povoa will play against league’s leader Benfica in Lisbon in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Vitoria SC will play at home against Sporting (#3) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Vitoria SC: Z.Porter 26+5reb+3ast, T.Moses 11+14reb+4ast, W.Loyd 9+5reb, D.Wingett 9+2reb, P.Pinto 8+2reb+2ast, R.Monteiro 5+4reb+2ast
Povoa: S.Suggs 19+4reb+1ast, R.Embo 18+3reb+3ast, S.Robinson 13+6reb, M.Loncovic 11+8reb+1ast, K.Gomes 10+11reb+1ast, J.McCloud 10+4reb+7ast

gschID: 1193078

Galitos-Barreiro – Benfica 90-95

gschID: 1193079

Queluz – Imortal 72-79

Very expected game when 11th ranked Queluz (4-15) was defeated at home by seventh ranked Imortal (9-10) 79-72 on Saturday. The game was dominated by American players. It was a great evening for forward Malik Bowman (203-2004) who led his team to a victory scoring 16 points and 5 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field). Guard Moses Flowers (190, college: St.Bonaventure, agency: Diamond Sports) helped adding 9 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Imortal’s coach Bernardo Pires used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the losing side guard Gregory Parham (193-1999, college: USA) responded with 21 points and forward Latreavin Black (196-2000, college: S.Arkansas, agency: Interperformances) produced a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Imortal moved-up to sixth place, which they share with Galitos-Barreiro. Queluz lost sixth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the eleventh position with 15 games lost. Imortal will meet at home higher ranked Ovarense (#5) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Queluz will play against the league’s second-placed FC Porto (#2) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Queluz: G.Parham 21+2reb+2ast, J.Cardoso 16+5reb, L.Black 12+10reb+2ast, D.Buggs 10+7reb+5ast, J.Kohajda 8+9reb, A.Jardim 4+2reb+1ast
Imortal: M.Bowman 16+5reb+3ast, D.Banks III 13+3reb+2ast, F.Lima 12+2reb+1ast, A.Silva 11+2reb+4ast, J.Davis 10+4reb+1ast, M.Flowers 9+8reb+4ast