MONTERREY, Mexico (Interstat) — Fuerza Regia used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the visiting Aguascalientes Panteras and secure an 80-63 victory in a Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (LNBP) contest Saturday night at Gimnasio Nuevo Leon.

The game was a tale of two halves, with the Panteras staying competitive early before Fuerza Regia’s defense and rebounding prowess took over after the break.

Aguascalientes started strong, putting up 21 points in the opening quarter, but found themselves trailing as Fuerza Regia answered with 23. The Panteras’ offense continued to click in the second period, adding another 22 points to head into halftime down just 42-43, setting the stage for a close second half.

Any notion of a tight finish was quickly erased in the third quarter. Fuerza Regia came out of the locker room with renewed intensity, outscoring Aguascalientes 25-14. The defensive pressure stifled the Panteras’ attack, holding them to just six points in the final quarter to seal the decisive win.

The rebounding battle was the story of the game. Fuerza Regia controlled the glass, hauling in 45 total rebounds compared to just 26 for Aguascalientes. More critically, the home team grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, creating numerous second-chance opportunities that the Panteras could not match with only six offensive boards of their own.

Scott Bamforth, a shooting guard from Albuquerque, New Mexico, led all scorers with 17 points for Fuerza Regia, adding six rebounds in 25 minutes of play. He was one of five Fuerza Regia players to score in double figures, highlighting a balanced offensive effort. Center Josh Ibarra contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, while power forward Lewis Sullivan recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists.

For the Panteras, small forward Erik Thomas of Wesley Chapel, Florida, led the team with 12 points and seven rebounds. Tyrone White, a power forward from Portland, Oregon, also scored 12 points. Center Mus Barro added 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks in the losing effort.

Statistically, Fuerza Regia’s efficiency was the difference. The team posted an offensive rating of 112.6, scoring 80 points on 71 possessions. Aguascalientes managed an offensive rating of just 89.9, scoring 63 points from 61 possessions. Fuerza Regia shot 44.8% from the floor (30 of 67), while the Panteras were held to 40.7% shooting (22 of 54). Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with Fuerza Regia making 6 of 26 attempts and Aguascalientes connecting on just 4 of 18.

With the win, Fuerza Regia improved its season record to 10-5 across all competitions. The loss dropped Aguascalientes to 8-7 on the season. The two teams are scheduled for a quick rematch at the same venue on Sunday.