Puente Alto secured a convincing 85:72 victory over Colo-Colo in the Chilean LNB on Thursday night. The home side controlled the tempo from the opening tip and never let the visitors close the gap. It was another solid showing for the second-placed hosts who continue to build momentum through the season.
The result keeps Puente Alto firmly in second place with nine wins from twelve matches. Colo-Colo remain fifth after eight defeats and four victories, unable to mount a serious challenge against the league's stronger sides.
Puente Alto shot more efficiently from the field, converting 31 of 67 attempts compared to Colo-Colo's 26 from 63. Both sides connected on eight and nine three-pointers respectively, though the hosts made them count. The free throw disparity told its own story — 15 from 20 for Puente Alto against 11 from 14 for the visitors.
The rebounding battle heavily favoured the home side with 40 boards to 26. Offensive rebounds proved decisive, giving Puente Alto twelve second chances while Colo-Colo managed only eight. The defensive rebounding gap — 28 to 18 — meant the visitors rarely got clean possessions to work with.
Puente Alto's recent form has been mixed but generally positive, with three wins in their last five outings. They beat Espanol de Talca twice in mid-August before falling to Leon Kilpué and Universidad de Concepción. Colo-Colo's run of losses continued through the same period, with only a narrow win over Kilpué offering any comfort.
The hosts have now stretched their advantage over the teams below them. By then, a win like this is worth more than the points — it shows where the season is heading.