The Oliveirense basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak in the championship with a convincing 88-69 win over Queluz. This victory came after a tough stretch, including a loss to Sporting in the Portuguese Cup semifinals.
The game marked the end of the 18th round of the Betclic League. Oliveirense now sits in fifth place, just one point ahead of Galitos do Barreiro and one point behind Ovarense. With only three rounds left in the initial phase, teams are jockeying for position in the playoffs.
Up next, Oliveirense faces Ovarense on Saturday, a rematch that will also take place on April 8 for the Hugo dos Santos Cup. The Queluz team started strong, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. However, Oliveirense battled back, with Kavaughn Scott and Afonso Guedes making key plays.
Despite a strong start, Queluz couldn’t keep up. The second quarter was a disaster, with Oliveirense outscoring them 20-9. This deficit proved insurmountable, and Queluz lost their fifth straight game in the league.
João Embaló, Deontae Hawkins, and Danjel Purifoy led the charge for Oliveirense, scoring 18, 13, and 12 points, respectively. Queluz’s Deew Buggs and Latreavin Black put up a good fight, with 19 and 11 points, respectively.
Key Stats:
- Oliveirense: João Embaló (18 pts, 5 rebounds), Deontae Hawkins (13 pts, 3 assists), Danjel Purifoy (12 pts, 7 rebounds)
- Queluz: Deew Buggs (19 pts, 4 assists), Latreavin Black (11 pts, 9 rebounds, 3 assists)
The win gives Oliveirense momentum heading into their crucial matchup against Ovarense. With only a few games left, every point counts in the quest for playoff positioning.
