Osorno bounce back to stun Tinguiririca

Tinguiririca SF and Osorno shared the spoils in the opening two matches of the Liga Nacional Movistar Basketball final – but Osorno will be the happier of the two.

San Fernando – Aside from bouncing back after losing the opening match, Osorno achieved a potentially crucial away win.

In the semi-finals, Osorno also split their opening two away games against Boston College – and then won two home games to take the best-of-five series 3-1.

They´ll be hoping to do the same again this time around, though ´Los Energéticos´ will be determined to have their say.

It was Tinguiririca who drew first blood on Saturday night. The hosts opened up a 24-14 advantage and it was all too much for Osorno coach Juan Manuel Córdoba, who was dismissed.

Osorno worked hard to cut the deficit to five points by the end of the third quarter, but Tinguiririca stepped up a gear in the final quarter to win 86-73.

It proved a real team effort with five players scoring double figures – Franco Morales 23, Tulio Cobos 16, captain Patrick Sáez 13, Darrien Mack 12 and Ricardo Gómez 10.

Marcus Morrison (19) and Gonzalo Velasquez (16) were the top scorers for Osorno.

Rashad Jones-Jennings had 15 rebounds to his name, but only scored seven points. However, the following night the American import was the star man for the Bulls.

He scored 32 points and made 14 rebounds as Osorno produced a classy display to beat the hosts 82-70. Fellow American Morrison weighed in with 22 points.

For Tinguiririca, Venezuela giant Cobos led the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Saez scored 18 points and Morales 12.

After falling behind 20-15 in the first quarter, it was in the second quarter that Osorno took over. They won it 29-14 to open up a ten-point lead and take a strangehold on the match.

Now the action switches to the south this weekend for two encounters that could decide the title. If not, it will be back to San Fernando for a deciding game five.