CD Puerto Varas kept their third-place standing in the Chilean LNB with a 76-75 win over Universidad Católica on Sunday night. The hosts held on despite a late push from the visitors, who arrived in Valdivia having lost eight of their last ten games. By then the margin was down to a single point and neither side had much left in the tank.
What stood out was the rebounding battle. Puerto Varas pulled down 43 boards to Católica's 37, with 13 offensive rebounds giving them second-chance opportunities that mattered in a one-point game. The away side managed only ten in that category. And here's the thing — those extra possessions kept them in the game when it got tight.
To be fair, Católica shot slightly better from the field at 38.2 per cent compared to 37.3, and hit eight three-pointers against seven. But they committed 22 personal fouls to the hosts' 17, which led to 28 free-throw attempts for Puerto Varas. The visitors converted 15 of 21 from the line, while the hosts made 19 of 28. That differential in points from the stripe was significant.
The statistics tell a story of a game decided in moments rather than sustained dominance. Both sides recorded 10 assists and 13 turnovers. Blocks were level at five each. Steals came in at 11 for Católica and 10 for Puerto Varas — barely a whisper of difference across 40 minutes.
This result keeps Puerto Varas in third place with seven wins from twelve games. Católica remain sixth with just two victories, and the gap between them and the top six is now 15 points. By then they'd lost four of five and the pressure was building. The hosts, meanwhile, extended a pattern of keeping things close even when not at their best.
- Puerto Varas: 76 points, 25/65 field goals, 7/22 three-pointers, 19/28 free throws
- Universidad Católica: 75 points, 26/68 field goals, 8/25 three-pointers, 15/21 free throws