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QUEBRADILLAS, Puerto Rico (Interstat) — The Ponce Leones visit the Quebradillas Piratas on Friday night at Raymond Dalmau Coliseum in a matchup of two Baloncesto Superior Nacional teams seeking to climb from the bottom of the standings.

Ponce (8-16) enters the 7:30 p.m. AST contest after a 85-80 home loss to Carolina on Sunday. The Leones have dropped two straight and four of their last five. Quebradillas (5-15) is coming off an 87-85 road win at Manati on May 23, snapping a three-game skid.

The teams have split the season series. Quebradillas won 84-77 at Ponce on May 8, while Ponce claimed a 102-90 victory in Quebradillas on April 4.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ponce forward Darius Bazley has been a double-double machine. The 6-foot-9 forward posted 20 points and 17 rebounds in the loss to Carolina, shooting 7 of 14 from the field. In his last eight games, Bazley has averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds while playing 30.6 minutes per contest. His lone meeting against Quebradillas this season produced 5 points, 10 rebounds and 1 assist in the May 8 defeat.

Quebradillas guard Emmanuel Mudiay provides playmaking and scoring. The former NBA first-round pick tallied 21 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the Manati victory. Mudiay has scored at least 19 points in three of his last four outings, including a 24-point, 10-assist performance in an overtime loss at Caguas. Against Ponce on May 8, he recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

Ponce ranks among the league leaders in rebounding behind Bazley and forward Jordan Murphy, who added 19 points and 7 rebounds in the Carolina loss. However, the Leones have struggled defensively, allowing 90 or more points in five of their last six losses.

Quebradillas has shown resilience in close games, with five of its last seven contests decided by single digits. The Piratas have relied on guard Anthony Cowan, who dished 8 assists against Manati, and center Grant Basile, who scored 20 points in that win.

BETTING THE GAME

Ponce is a slight favorite on the road despite its record, largely due to Bazley’s dominance on the glass and Quebradillas’s inconsistent offense. The over/under is expected to be set around 180 points, given both teams’ defensive struggles.

UP NEXT

Ponce travels to Mayaguez on Sunday, while Quebradillas hosts Arecibo on the same day. Both teams are fighting to improve positioning ahead of the season’s final stretch.