Photo: Calixto N. Llanes (taken from JIT)
Havana, May 30 (RHC)-- The four qualifiers for the playoffs of the 2022 Superior Basketball League were defined after the division of honors between the Santiago de Cuba and Havana teams this weekend in the penultimate match of the qualifying stage.
The capital city team recovered from the 81-66 favorable to the Halcones on Saturday and defeated the Santiago team 106-75, thus securing their pass to the semifinals of the tournament.
The Artemisa Toros had the task of winning both games against the Villa Clara Lobos, but their chances depended on the Giraldillos or Santiago losing the rest of their games.
The Lobos, reigning national champions, fell short in the fight to defend their crown and were left below their real chances of advancing, after two defeats against the Artemisa Lobos, 89-64 and 99-72.
In a long-awaited duel that could be an early final, Ciego de Avila defeated Sancti Spíritus 84-69 on Saturday.
In the Sunday rematch, the espirituanos hit back at the Búfalos and beat them with a fair score of 76-75, showing that the avileños are not infallible.
The match between the Indios del Guaso and the Guerreros de Matanzas ended 87-79 in favor of the Guantanameros while waiting for the second match, which would be just a mere formality.
After these results, Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spíritus will appear first and second in that order and only the third and fourth places between Santiago and Havana remain to be defined in order to know the semifinal clashes.
In the women's category, Santiago de Cuba and Ciego de Avila, first and fourth respectively, will play one of two semifinals, leaving the other to the capital (second) and Guantanamo (third).
The highlight of the day was the match between the two best teams of the league, Santiago and Capitalinas, in which after the close victory of the eastern team 82-80, the capital returned the blow 70-41 in a game in which the less usual players played minutes.
In the other game, the avileñas left the espirituanas with no options, staying ahead in the scoreboard 63 points to 51. In the second hour, the Yayabo team saved their honor 71-67 and without the possibility of advancing to the fight for the medals.
