Chilean Basketball Report: Update for Aug 23

Chilean Basketball Report: Update for Aug 23

By Rod “Alley’Gator” Hunrichse

I got the news and buzz of Chilean Basketball for you in english. A lot is happening and uncertainty is getting clearer. Dimayor and Liga Nacional are being formed, women have a fairly competitive league as well, but not surprisingly, have two leagues. Live televised games helped to improve the coverage and exposure. Minors have competitive tournaments too. The National teams lowered the age limit for a projection to the future, but collected lots of baskets and losses.

DIMAYOR season, the mature Professional League, finished in April 2012, in the midst of a transitional 2011-2012 season. The Liga Nacional tournament also finished a long 5 months season. Currently, semi professional leagues are underway, only allowing nationals, and divided in regions.

But the regular person is interested in the REAL Professional leagues, the one on for their city, with spectacular foreign players, and classic rivalries.

Here are the current Leagues situation, later the Second Semester Leagues definitions.

LIBCENTRO

Liga de Básquetbol del Centro. the semi professional League , including only nationals, is played in the Chilean Center Zone, and just finished the semi-finals round.

The semifinalists Chillán had taken the series against Municipal Puente Alto, but Puente impugnated the results on a technicallity so the third game was repeated on a Wednesday. Chillán won the third game 87-66 and took it 2-1 on a best-of-three series.

A new Region V classic was played in playoffs, when Colegio Los Leones Quilpué faced Sagrados Corazones Viña del Mar.

Both arrived undefeated. Los Leones beated Quilpué 2-0 Árabe Rancagua and Sagrados Corazones Viña 2-0 Alemán Concepción.

On South Zone Semifinals, first game at Casa del Deporte of Chillán., Maxibasquet Chillán lost 76-91 against Boston College.

In Maipú, Boston College defeated Maxibasquet Chillán 116-71, and took the series 2-0 in best-of-three semifinals.

Partials were  29-11, 23-19, 36-23 and 28-18.

Top scorers: Jorge Valencia (21 points), José Luis Campos (20), Erik Carrasco (17).

On Maxibasquet Chillán: David González (24), three tied with 8 points: Sebastián Sáez, Cristóbal Infante and Pablo Barraza. The Bravo brothers did not play.

The other semifinalists:

In Viña del Mar: Sagrados Corazones Viña 66-71 Colegio Los Leones Quilpué. It went to Overtime tied 61-61, Los Leones returned from a 22 points lead in the first Quarter.

At Quilpué: Los Leones 64-53 Sagrados Corazones Viña

SSCC Viña swept the series.

LIBCENTRO Finals:

Colegio Los Leones Quilpué will face Boston College in a best-of-five series.

The best eight LIBCENTRO playoffs teams are qualified to Liga Nacional Básquetbol movistar in the second semester (read ahead).

LIBSUR

This traditional Southern League has teams playing in all age series, with only nationals. The Tournament is on Playoffs. Its series are starting on Under-13 (Sub 13, Sub 15, Sub 17 and Sub-23).

We will focus the Adults (Under-23 years old).

Here are the Playoff teams, their short and long names:

Ancud: ABA Ancud (Asociación de Básquetbol Ancud)

Temuco: A. B. Temuco Ñ. (Asociación de Básquetbol Temuco-Ñielol)

Castro: Deportes Castro

Español Osorno: C. D. Español

Animas: C. D. Las Animas

Puerto Varas: C. D. Pto. Varas

Current standings, before next round with one remaining game :

#    Pts    G    Avg    Team             

1º     16    10    1,60    ABA Ancud

2º     15    9    1,67    A. B. Temuco Ñ.

3º     15    10    1,50    Dep. Castro

4º     14    9    1,56    C. D. Español

5º     14    9    1,56    C. D. Las Animas

6º     10    9    1,11    C. D. Pto. Varas

Programmed games for next round:

25/08/2012    20.00     Temuco     A. Temuco Ñ.     v/s     CD Animas

25/08/2012    20.00     P.Varas     CD Pto. Varas     v/s     CD Español

After that round, there will be a quadrangular Sep 7-9 at the top-team site.

The best eight Adult LIBSUR teams are qualified to Liga Nacional Básquetbol in the second semester (read ahead)

Women:

Liga Nacional Femenina movistar is Similar to Libcentro and Liga Nacional

Liga Nacional Femenina 2012 was divided in North and South Zones, with twelve teams, this time included the National Team players who play overseas, and are on their North Winter off-season, and afforded foreign players because of the same reason. Is organized by the new LNDB (Liga Nacional Deportiva de Básquetbol), with support by ADO Chile .

North Zone:

Colegio Los Leones Quilpué swept 2-0 New Crusaders Valparaiso.

Quilpué: Los Leones 100-76 New Crusaders

Valparaiso: New Crusaders 84-99 Los Leones

South Zone

ULA Osorno (Universidad Los Lagos, ULagos) had some trouble beating Universidad Austral Valdivia (Uach).

ULA Osorno passed to the finals in a weekday with a 2-1 total over Uach Valdivia

ULA Osorno 78-65 Uach Valdivia

Uach Valdivia 62-56 ULA Osorno

Uach Valdivia 57-66 ULA Osorno

The National Finals confronted North and South Zone Champions in a best-of-five series, two consecutive games in each site. It started in Quilpué, then two in Osorno if necessary, the last one in Quilpué.

Quilpué: Los Leones Quilpué 97 - 40 ULA Osorno

Quilpué: Los Leones Quilpué 77 - 44 ULA Osorno

Osorno : ULA Osorno 65-77 Los Leones Quilpué

It was easy on the first two games, same thing happened on Osorno, New Crusaders decided the game in the third quarter, take a look at the partials: 7-17, 21-16 (28-33), 10-26 (38-59) and 27-18.

Los Leones Quilpué swept the series and is the new Champion.

Friendlies:

Encestando una sonrisa, charity tournament to raise funds for children with chronic kidney insufficiency, was again organized outside Santiago (Universidad Católica lost it traditional Santa Rosa de las Condes and still does not have its own). It was hosted in 2011 in Antofagasta, and UDECONCE won it, so UDECONCE took it to Concepción-City for the first time in August 2012.

Six teams, four foreign, Under-24 teams but with two adult players and one extra foreign additions or adult player.

The foreign teams brought younger players so have increased difficulty in their formation. Foreign teams included very high players, but needed some more muscles, the Chileans were short, but nearer to the age limit, Randolph-Macon College brought a mixture of Starters and sophomores, for a ten days tour to Chile.

In the end, UDECONCE resulted undefeated and is bi-champion, showed too much advantage on every game until the final. The attendance was less than expected, but still was considerable for a 5 days in-a-row tournament.

Final positions Encestando una sonrisa 2012:

1° UDECONCE, Chile

2° Uniceub-BRB, Brazil

3° Minas Tenis Clube, Brazil

4° U. Católica, Chile

5° Randolph-Macon College, USA

6° Boca Juniors, Argentina

UDECONCE is considering hosting again in Concepción. for a chance to get a  Tri-Championship.

Other quadrangulars are to be played on the off-season, including the re-inauguration of the María Gallardo Gym at Osorno.

DIMAYOR

Reportedly the starting date is September 22, with one mandatory foreign player, three under-23 on the line-up, and an optional second foreign player.

Teams so far are:

Founders UDECONCE, Universidad Católica; regular Liceo Mixto; returning Unión Española, San Luis Quillota; newcomers are Instituto DuocUC Santiago, Municipal Quilicura, and just formed Hidroeléctrica Tinguiririca San Fernando.

DIMAYOR should have a short 2012 season until December 2012, since the plans are to start next 2013 season in March.

Liga Nacional

LNB is organized again by the new LNDB (Liga Nacional Deportiva de Básquetbol), receiving resources from ADO Chile (The Federation is involved as well). The League will provide travelling expenses, salaries for referees and foreign players. The poor man’s dream.

The best eight Adult LIBSUR teams and also the best eight LIBCENTRO teams are qualified to Liga Nacional Básquetbol in the second semester.

There should be a Copa Chile-style tournament, where any applying team can participate, including amateur teams. Bad for the quality of the games.

Buzz:

Español Talca recently decided to move from DIMAYOR to Liga Nacional. Español was dissolved for the Dimayor postseason (for economic reasons: had too much trouble finding resources), the players went to other teams, most reinforcing nearby Maxibásquetbol Chillán on LIBCENTRO, who reached Semifinals.

National teams:

The Male Adult team had A LOT of friendlies with Olympic National teams around South America, facing -and loosing with- Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Venezuela, but beating Colombia.

TV:

A wonderful initiative from LIBCENTRO and Liga Nacional Femenina was to broadcast Live games on CDO TV Premium and CDO High Definition, later repeated throughout the week also on its Basic channel. A chance to see those away games. Most National teams were on the network as well. It is on most Pay-TV carriers, except on vtr, the most extended on urban areas. Sometimes Basic CDO goes on the internet, for free.

After this long review, expect some more weekly updates regularly. Everything in english. Ask for the report on your local newsstand.

I will bring you some live (in english) narrations of the games, (and/or  will be available on demand), because I am the one who wants to BE THERE and give you a first person perspective, as well as other news and scores.

Every Report will also try to make you attend next weekend games.

Support your local team!

Next topics: who are these teams? How will those leagues function? Will be televised? Which team plays Liga Sudamericana and when is it? Who get the chance on Liga de las Americas? What about the National Teams?

By Rod Hunrichse, 20120824