Luismal Ferreiras scored 24 points and captured 21 rebounds to lead the Gigantes Basketball Club to a 105-97 victory over the Héroes de Moca at the Mario Ortega pavilion, thus completing a 3-0 sweep that placed the Franco-Macorisan team in the Final Series of the LNB Super League.
Ferreiras shot 17 for 1 from the field and stole 3 balls for the Giants, who by winning Semifinal A guaranteed the fifth pass in franchise history to the last stage of the first division circuit, where they will seek their third championship (they won in 2013 and 2019).
Charles Brown Jr. scored 25 points, Francis King Fitzgerald 18 with 5 assists, while Stephen Zimmerman contributed 15 points, 12 boards and 2 blocks.
For the Heroes, who completed their first season in the LNB, Kam’ron Blue left with 24 points, Mycheal Henry contributed 20 with 6 rebounds and 4 steals, while Kevin Obanor added 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Nargenis Ulloa added 16 points.
The winners shot 53 percent from the field, although they only made 5 of 22 attempts from three (23%). They dominated the rebounds 45-33, achieving a total of 23 offensive rebounds. Additionally, they dominated the battle in the paint 68-52.
The match came close to the last three minutes of the fourth quarter, until the Giants began to define. Ferreiras got an offensive rebound and scored two points near the rim, leading the home team 99-94 with 2:02. Consecutive and spectacular donks by King Fitzgerald, the second with 55 seconds, increased the difference to 9 and sealed the victory.
A triple by Ulloa with two seconds left left the Heroes ahead 35-26 at the end of the first quarter. Obanor led the Mocanos with 11 points and 8 rebounds, followed by 8 points from both Ulloa and Blue. Ferreiras stood out with 8 points for the Giants.
After losing by 13 in the second quarter, the Giants reacted and with a layup from Ferreiras with 4:33 they got closer to 45-50. Then Henry, with 2:32, completed a 9-3 rally and moved away from Moca 59-48. The Franco-Macorisans returned to the charge and with the attack of Jeankarlo Iciano and Marquis Wright they left the half 62-59, with the Mocanos still ahead.
Blue scored 19 points and shot 7-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-4 on three-pointers in the first 20 minutes of action. Ulloa and Obanor added 11 units each. On the Giants’ side, Ferreiras stood out with 12 points, followed by 10 from Brown Jr. and 9 from Zimmerman.
The Giants’ defense tightened in the third period, limiting Moca to just 6 points in the first 5 minutes. That contributed to King Fitzgerald’s three-pointer putting the hosts ahead 73-68, with 4:59 on the clock. The Heroes responded and with a tap by Ulloa with 22 seconds left they put the score at 82-80, although with those from El Jaya in front, after three periods.
The sets concluded 26-35, 33-27, 23-18 and 23-17 for the Giants.
