CARACAS, Venezuela (Interstat) — The Venezuelan Superliga de Baloncesto continues its regular season Saturday when Miranda hosts Portuguesa at 7 p.m. local time. Miranda enters with a 7-14 record across all competitions, while Portuguesa carries a 3-17 mark.

The teams last met March 25, when Portuguesa edged Miranda 67-66. In their most recent matchup April 21, Portuguesa cruised to a 78-62 road victory, led by center Maodo Nguirane’s 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Nguirane remains a key figure for Portuguesa. In his past nine outings, the 6-foot-10 center has posted four double-doubles, including 20 points and 15 rebounds in a 71-67 loss to Margarita on April 29. He also recorded 11 points and nine rebounds against Falcons on April 6. However, Portuguesa has dropped eight of its last nine games overall, with its only win in that span coming against Miranda.

Miranda will counter with forward Ar’mond Davis, who has scored at least 15 points in seven of his last 10 games. He erupted for 30 points and six rebounds in an 104-80 loss at Maracaibo on April 28. Davis also tallied 32 points against Car. Spartans on April 18 and 22 points against Caracas on April 21. Despite his production, Miranda has lost seven of its last nine contests.

Portuguesa’s recent struggles have been pronounced. The team lost to Zulia 82-58 on April 27, and fell to Avila 81-76 on April 25. Their only bright spot remains the April 21 victory over Miranda, where Gil Atencio Yearwood added 17 points and Kelvin Pena contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.

Miranda, meanwhile, dropped a 104-80 decision at Maracaibo on April 28, and lost to Zulia 84-76 on April 24. The team’s last win came April 26 against itself in a 77-65 result — a scheduling anomaly that saw Miranda face a team of the same name from another division.

Saturday’s matchup marks the first of a two-game set between the clubs; they meet again Sunday in Portuguesa. Miranda then hosts La Guaira on May 5-6, while Portuguesa returns home to face Falcons on May 6.

Both teams rank near the bottom of the SLB standings, but the head-to-head history suggests a competitive tilt. Portuguesa has won two of the last three meetings, including the 78-62 blowout. Miranda will aim to even the season series and build momentum after a string of tough losses.