Bahía Blanca opened its Provincial U17 Men’s Basketball Tournament campaign with a 95-68 victory over Necochea on Friday morning at the Once Unidos stadium in Mar del Plata, recovering from a sluggish start to dominate the second quarter through heavy player rotation and perimeter shooting.

Early Struggles and Second-Quarter Surge

The defending provincial champions took nearly an entire half to shake off the nerves of their tournament debut against a Necochea side that had already played its opening fixture. Head coach Mauro Richotti adjusted his lineup using deep rotation, and Bahía found its rhythm from beyond the arc by finishing 15-37 on three-point attempts. The decisive shift arrived in the second quarter, where Bahía outscored Necochea 30-13 to build a commanding 50-29 halftime lead.

Balanced Scoring and Individual Performances

Gianfranco Gasparini led all scorers with 17 points for Bahía, shooting 3-7 on three-pointers, 3-5 on two-pointers, and 2-6 from the free-throw line, while adding 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Mateo Gizzi contributed 15 points with a 4-5 mark from deep, and Genaro Di Stéfano finished with 10 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. Tomás Renzi added a flawless 10-point performance, shooting 100% across all categories with 2-2 on triples, 1-1 on two-pointers, and 2-2 on free throws. Mirko Marcos chipped in 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Tournament Standings and Semifinal Qualification

The victory guarantees Bahía Blanca a spot in the tournament semifinals. Because Mar del Plata defeated Necochea in the opening round while Bahía had a bye, Friday evening’s second-rotation match between Mar del Plata and Bahía Blanca at the Kimberley gymnasium will decide the winner of the Sur zone. In the North zone, Pergamino edged La Plata 73-70 in a closely contested match following La Plata’s 68-49 opening win over Junín.

Weekend Schedule and Next Opponents

Tournament play continues on Saturday with the fifth-place playoff scheduled for 10:00 at Once Unidos between the third-place teams of each zone. The semifinal matchups take place at Kimberley, featuring the first-place team of the North zone against the second-place team of the South zone at 18:00, followed by the first-place South zone team against the second-place North zone team at 20:00.

Tournament Organization and Team Rosters

The Provincial U17 Men’s Basketball Tournament is organized in Mar del Plata and supervised by the Buenos Aires Basketball Federation (FBB). The tournament format divides participating selections into two zones, with Mar del Plata, Bahía Blanca, and Necochea making up the South zone, alongside the North zone teams. The coaching staff for Bahía Blanca is led by head coach Mauro Richotti, assisted by Sebastián Dodero, with Wilfredo Lozano and Ezequiel Micca serving as physical trainers. Bahía Blanca’s 12-player roster comprises Genaro Di Stéfano (Bahiense del Norte), Mateo Gizzi (Estrella), Mateo Santillán (L.N. Alem), Felipe Germain (Napostá), Bautista Sosa (Napostá), Gino Basaul (Olimpo), Luciano Mattioli (Olimpo), Tomás Renzi (Olimpo), Emanuel Diez (Villa Mitre), Franco Gasparini (Villa Mitre), Mirko Marcos (Villa Mitre), and Valentino Perticarari (Villa Mitre). Among them, Valentino Perticarari emerged from Quilmes and Genaro Di Stéfano from Club de Pelota. Necochea’s roster is directed by head coach Mauro Mazzucchelli.