Baseball
Ciego de Ávila won over Isla de la Juventud 5-2 and took a 2-1 lead on Monday in the title match of the 54th Cuban Baseball Series.
After 7 innings tied at 2, the Avilanian Los Tigres' offensive produced 3 runs which, besides securing the win on the date, guarantees their return to their headquarters at the José Ramón Cepero Stadium, having no definition at Los Piratas' homeland.
Ariel Borrero, Yeniet Pérez and Andy Zamora commanded the attack of Ciego de Ávila when combined 8 hits in 13 at-bats and 2 RBIs.
Yunier Cano, 3rd pitcher used by head coach Roger Machado, worked 2 and 2/3 with just 1 unstoppable against to take the victory.
Starting pitchers Yoalkis Cruz and Yander Guevara, despite tolerating 2 runs each, ratified their quality in an emotional duel until the pirate reliever Danny Aguilera failed and Los Tigres' pitchers controlled the local offensive.
The 4th challenge will be played at the same Cristóbal Labra Stadium in Nueva Gerona city this Tuesday, for which neither directors have revealed their starters.
NBA to Hold Basketball Camp in Cuba to Foster Talents
The US National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Monday that it will organize a basketball camp in Cuba later this month, the BBC reports today.
The NBA will be the first professional US sports league to visit the Caribbean island since the two countries announced a thaw in their relations last December. Retired players Steve Nash and Dikembe Mutombo will be among those teaching.
Basketball is very popular in Cuba and the country has produced top players. Its men's national team won the bronze medal at 1972 Summer Olympics and its women's team won the 2013 International Basketball Federation Americas Championship.
The NBA said it would hold a 4-day development camp from April 23rd. It said it had chosen former players who spoke Spanish to go on the trip. They are 8-time NBA All-Stars Steve Nash and Dikembe Mutombo and former Women's National Basketball Association player Ticha Penicheiro.
Quinn Snyder, head coach of the Utah Jazz team, and James Borrego, who coaches the Orlando Magic team, will also travel to Cuba. Two players and a coach from Cuba will also be invited to take part in the camp run by the program Basketball without Borders.
The president of the Cuban Basketball Federation, Ruperto Herrera, also welcomed the move, calling it "magnificent".
Fencing
The Cuban fencer Daylén Cristina Moreno finished in 8th place among 88 contestants from 35 nations at the World Fencing Championships, junior category, underway in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, until next 9th.
The young 19-years-old lefty, the only Cuban in battle, came as the number 41st in the world ranking and 30 points accumulated by the bronze medal recently reached at the Pan-American Junior Fencing Championships held in Toronto, Canada, last February.
With 4 wins and 2 losses in her qualifying group, Moreno went smoothly to the table of direct elimination of 64 contestants, where after 2 wins and 1 defeat she was eliminated by Canadian Eleanor Harvey, 8th in the world ranking, with 15 to 9 touches.
Although with no medals, with this performance, Daylén scored 35 points to improve her position in the world listing.
Chess
Cuban Lázaro Bruzón and Ermes Espinosa finished 1st and 2nd respectively, at the 2025 Central American & Caribbean Sub-Zonal 2.3 Championships, which ended on Monday in the Ecuadorian city of La Libertad and qualified for the World Chess Cup, scheduled for Baku, Azerbaijan.
Bruzón, only GM present in the tournament, led the tournament with 7.5 points, thanks to 6 wins and 3 draws; meanwhile, Espinosa closed with 7 units, 5 wins and 4 draws.
Thus, Cuba ensures its official presence with 3 chess players, because as well as Bruzón and Espinosa, it joins the GM Isán Ortiz, although the GM Leinier Domínguez should not present problems to ensure his ticket for his ELO 2729 and place in the world ranking.
