Yoanki Mensía with the ball
Havana, October 18 (RHC/JIT)-- Cuban Yoanki Mensía was one of the key players in Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia's victory to advance to the Final 8 of the Super 20 tournament in Argentina's National Basketball League.
Mensía scored 18 points on Saturday in the 78-64 victory over Platense, a result that placed the winners first in group one of the southern conference, with a balance of seven wins and only two losses to guarantee a place among the best eight.
Mensía was highly effective in field goals, scoring seven of eight attempts for 87 percent. He was better in three-point shots, making all four of them in his performance at the Vicente López City Stadium in Buenos Aires.
With those made this Saturday, he reached 156 in total and an average of 17.3, to rank third among the top scorers, according to official statistics.
Ferro (6-3) was second in that key and Boca Juniors (9-0) and Obras (4-5) were second. Instituto (7-2) and Quimsa (6-3) won the places in the northern conference in the first, and San Martín (7-2) and La Unión (5-4) in the second.
We will have to wait for the draw that will determine the quarterfinals on October 28, while the semifinals will be held on October 29 and the final on October 30. The champion gets a ticket to the South American league.
Among the other Cubans hired by his federation, Jasiel Rivero scored six points and grabbed six rebounds in the duel won by his current team Valencia (69-65) against the former Hereda San Pablo Burgos, in the Spanish Endesa League.
The Havana power forward was not very effective this Saturday at the Coliseo Burgos, as he only scored one two-point shot and one three-point shot in five and four attempts, respectively. Now the Taronjas equaled in wins and losses with three in each case.
As for the Nicaraguan Superior Basketball League, Lisván Valdez from Havana will play for Real Estelí in the next edition of the league of champions of America, which has just made its draw on Saturday.
The Central American country's roster was placed in Group A with the Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico) and the Edmonton Stingers (Canada) for an edition that will begin on December 10.
As for the schedule of the local event, the next round starts on Tuesday, October 19 and three-time champion Real Esteli leads with a 12-7 record.
Matanzas' Yuniskel Molina (UNAN León) is fifth in valuation with 460 and Artemisa's Osmel Oliva (Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería) is fourth among the top scorers with 427 units.
