Aguascalientes vs. Leon
LEON, Mexico (Interstat) — The Aguascalientes Panteras will try to keep rolling Saturday when they visit winless Leon at Domo de la Feria in the Mexican LNBP.
Aguascalientes enters at 3-1, with its only loss coming Aug. 5 at Gambusinos. The Panteras responded with an 88-69 win there the next day, then swept a two-game home series against Lobos Plateados, winning 73-69 and 111-88.
MiKyle Mcintosh has been productive in limited minutes. In Wednesday’s most recent game, a 73-69 win, the forward played 22 minutes and finished with 12 points and six rebounds. He also scored 15 points in the series opener, making him a key target for Leon’s defense.
Leon, meanwhile, is still searching for its first win at 0-4. The hosts dropped a pair at Soles this week, 87-80 and 71-68, after losing two home games to Jalisco.
Deion McClenton has been the bright spot for Leon. The center produced 18 points and seven rebounds in Wednesday’s loss, and earlier in the season posted 20 points and 12 rebounds in a July 24 win over Correcaminos. He added three blocks in that game, showing the two-way ability Leon hopes can spark a turnaround.
Aguascalientes has other weapons. Tyler Cheese scored 15 points in Wednesday’s win, and point guard Jaron Martin contributed 11 points and five assists. For Leon, Giovanni Santiago had 16 points, five rebounds and six assists in its latest loss, while A.J. Banks added 13.
Interstat’s ELO system gives Aguascalientes a 78.30 percent probability to win, reflecting the gap in early-season form. But the Panteras know Leon is desperate for a breakthrough. The teams meet again Sunday in Aguascalientes, making Saturday a chance for the hosts to gain momentum quickly.
The game is scheduled for Saturday at Domo de la Feria.