Diablos Rojos saw off Santos 97-87 in a Mexican LNBP fixture at home on Saturday evening. The hosts extended their unbeaten run to eight games with a result that will make life awkward for visitors in the standings. By then, the home side had already shown enough composure to keep their side in it when the game tightened.
Santos came in with mixed recent form, having lost three of their last five matches. They beat Doraados 87-63 on August 25th but followed that with defeats to Panthers and Sol on consecutive days. The visitors were reduced to a defensive posture and could not match the home side's consistency through the final quarter.
The home record tells a different story. Diablos Rojos dropped points against Lobos Plateados twice and Abejacos once, but they won against Gambusinos on August 17th and held on grimly in the narrow victory over Abejacos at 75-73. That recent patch gave them the edge when the match went down to the wire.
The 10-point margin did not reflect a one-sided affair. Santos kept within striking distance for most of the contest and only fell away when the hosts pulled the cushion to twelve points. The visitors ran the show in the opening period but could not sustain the rhythm once the game opened up.
This result leaves Diablos Rojos with momentum heading into their next fixture. Santos will need to find consistency if they are to climb the table, having not won since their victory over Doraados. The gap in form will make life awkward for both sides going forward.