SAN GERMAN (BSN) - For the first time in 24 years, Atleticos from San German have failed to qualify for the second stage of Puerto Rico's BSN league.
Atleticos finished the regular season ninth - with a top-eight finish needed to make the play-offs - their 10 wins and 16 defeats one of their worst ever campaigns.
Top seeds Brujos sealed their fate, winning by a crushing 115-93 margin in the regular season's final game.
Monty Wilson led the scoring with 30 points, followed by 19 from Erick Rodriguez.
Brujos made it 18 wins for the season after also edging Criollos from Caguas 81-80, thanks to 20 points from Rodriguez.
Ponce-based Leones needed overtime to edge rock-bottom Titanes from Morovis 103-98, Bobby Joe Hatton pouring in 24 points.
That triumph, their 17th of the campaign, helped them secure second spot in the standings.
The third qualifying spot belongs to Cangrejeros from Santurce (16-10), who ended the regular season with a 83-79 defeat over Criollos, who finished fifth on the standings.
Both Criollos and reigning champions Capitanes from Arecibo ended the first phase with a 15-11 campaign, although Capitanes took fourth spot.
That was despite a 109-99 defeat in their final game against 2005 runners-up Vaqueros from Bayamon, for whom Christopher Vega poured in 29 points and Alejandro Carmona contributed 27.
Brujos clinched the penultimate second-phase berth - with a 12-14 campaign - below Grises from Humacao, who finished sixth with 14 triumphs and 12 defeats.
Conquistadores from Guaynabo claimed eighth spot despite their negative 12-14 campaign, while Atleticos, Maratonistas from Coamo (8-18) and Titanes (6-20) are all eliminated.
The second stage, which starts on Saturday, is organised in the same home-and-away format to determine the four semi-finalists.
PA Sport